On Monday, the West Bengal government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of financial misconduct at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The inquiry, which will cover the period from January 2021 to the present, comes in the wake of mounting controversies surrounding the institution, particularly under the tenure of former principal Sandip Ghosh.
The state’s Home Department publicly announced the decision to form the SIT on Monday evening through a notification.
The investigation will be led by Pranab Kumar, Inspector General (Training), with the support of Syed Waquar Raza, Deputy Inspector General of Murshidabad Range, Soma Mitra Das, Deputy Inspector General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and Indira Mukherjee, Deputy Commissioner (Central Division) of Kolkata Police.
Ghosh, who resigned as principal earlier this month, is currently facing controversy after the tragic rape and murder of a junior doctor on the hospital premises.
His resignation, however, did little to quell the outrage, as allegations of financial irregularities during his administration have continued to surface.
Despite these accusations, it is only now that the state government has decided to initiate an official investigation.
The timing of the SIT’s formation has raised eyebrows, particularly as Ghosh is already under scrutiny by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the ongoing R G Kar case.
Political observers suggest that the state government’s move might be a response to possible revelations made by Ghosh during his recent questioning by the CBI.
Bhattacharya Suggests SIT Move To Preempt Ghosh’s Disclosures
CPI(M) leader and Rajya Sabha member Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya suggested that the sudden establishment of the SIT could be a strategic attempt by the state to preempt any damaging disclosures Ghosh might have made to the CBI.
Bhattacharya, a senior advocate, believes that the state government may be attempting to regain control of the narrative as the CBI’s investigation deepens.
Meanwhile, Ghosh’s legal troubles continue to mount.
On Monday, the Calcutta High Court deferred the hearing of his plea for police protection until Wednesday, citing the need for further exchange of affidavits between the involved parties.
Ghosh is currently on leave following a court directive that barred the state Health Department from appointing him as the head of any other medical institution in West Bengal until further notice.
His recent appointment as principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH) immediately after his resignation from R G Kar sparked protests among medical students and junior doctors, further complicating his already precarious position.
As the SIT begins its work, the situation at R G Kar Medical College is being closely monitored, with the state government under pressure to address the alleged financial mismanagement and restore public confidence in its handling of the case.
Also Read: CBI Assigns Senior Officer Seema Pahuja To Probe Kolkata Junior Doctor’s Rape & Murder
