On Monday, the Calcutta High Court declined to hear the bail plea of Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, embroiled in a high-profile multi-crore financial irregularities case.
The court directed the applicant to file the bail application at the lower court, where the matter is currently being heard.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, presiding over the single-judge bench, noted that the bail plea would have to addressed at the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court, where investigations into the financial irregularities at RG Kar are underway.
The case has drawn the attention of two central investigative agencies, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), both of which are conducting parallel investigations into the alleged financial wrongdoing.
The CBI is overseeing a court-directed and court-monitored probe, while the ED has initiated its own investigation under the PMLA after filing an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR).
The focus of the investigations includes charges of manipulation in the hospital’s tendering process, with Ghosh allegedly awarding contracts to contractors with whom he had personal ties.
Additionally, the case involves accusations of bypassing the state’s Public Works Department (PWD) by awarding infrastructure work to private entities for substantial commissions.
There are also allegations of illegal activities such as the smuggling of biomedical waste and the selling of organs from unidentified bodies brought to the hospital’s morgue for autopsy.
Apart from Ghosh, four other individuals, including his close associate Ashish Pandey, are in judicial custody in connection with the financial irregularities case.
The CBI has revealed that Pandey was a key figure in the alleged financial scam, acting as the principal middleman in the money trail linked to the fraudulent activities.
In a separate but equally troubling investigation, the CBI is also probing Ghosh’s alleged involvement in the shocking rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar in August of this year.
The two investigations have drawn significant public and media attention, with both the CBI and ED working in tandem to unravel the extent of corruption and criminal activity surrounding the medical college.
The investigation into the financial irregularities at RG Kar is likely to have far-reaching implications, as it highlights the vulnerability of public institutions to corruption and abuse of power.
The court’s decision to direct the bail plea to a lower court adds another layer to the ongoing legal proceedings, as Ghosh’s fate now rests with the judicial authorities handling the case at the PMLA court.
With multiple agencies involved and the serious nature of the charges, this case is likely to be a major focal point in the fight against corruption in West Bengal.
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