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KOLKATA: The CBI anti-corruption branch on Sunday conducted searches on the premises of former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh, ex-medical superintendent cum vice-principal (MSVP) Sanjay Vashisth and 13 others in and around Kolkata in connection with their probe into alleged financial irregularities at the institute, officials said. CBI also went to Sandip Ghosh’s close aide Dr Debasish Some’s house. He is the head of the Department of Forensic Science of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital who was called at Nizam Palace.
The CBI also called the head clerk of the forensic medicine department to know the whereabouts of the dead body racket.
Sources in CBI said a racket is being operational at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital where it was found that body parts of dead bodies were sold at various state-run medical colleges at higher prices and the racket is being run under the cover of Dr Sandip Ghosh and his allies.
A senior CBI officer said, “We have got lots of information regarding the illegal racket of medical scam that is being operational in the state and has been running for quite some time and we are in search of other doctors who are involved in the scam. Several doctors working in private hospitals are also involved.”
The anti-corruption unit of the CBI also searched the residences and offices of those engaged in supplying materials for the management and care of patients.
At least seven officers of the central probe agency have been questioning Ghosh at his Beliaghata residence since 8 am, while others were grilling Vashisth, the former medical superintendent and vice principal of the hospital, and another professor of the forensic-medicine department of the medical establishment, among others, they said.
Accompanied by a huge team of central forces, the CBI team reached Ghosh's residence around 6 am but was made to wait for nearly one-and-half hours before he opened the doors, the officials said.
The other officers of the central agency went to the residence of a supplier in Howrah, he added.
"Vashisth is being questioned on how much he knew about the financial irregularities that happened in the hospital when he was the MSVP," he said.
Another team of CBI officers also conducted searches at the ex-principal's office in the hospital and also went to the canteen in the academic building.
They asked present principal Manas Kumar Bandyopadhyay to reach the hospital in the morning and accompany them during their searches in the medical establishment.
A postgraduate trainee woman doctor was allegedly raped and murdered in the seminar hall of the hospital on 9 August, following which a Kolkata Police civic volunteer was arrested.
The gruesome crime resulted in nationwide protests by doctors and citizens.
On the direction of the Calcutta High Court, the CBI registered cases into the killing as well as alleged financial irregularities.
Meanwhile, the polygraph test of Sanjoy Roy, the civic volunteer, continued today as well and Sanjoy asked CBI officers if he could sleep as he was being questioned for so long.
Parimal Dey, a teacher from Alipurduar in West Bengal, who was honoured with the Banga Ratna award by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2019, has decided to return the award over the state government's response to the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder incident.
Speaking about his decision to Parimal said, "I have decided to return the Banga Ratna award. The way protests happened in Bengal and outside, it is my conscience's call that it should give it back. I support the protest. The way she (Mamata Banerjee) is running the administration is not right."
Earlier today, the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists' Forum staged a protest in Tollygunge demanding justice for the victim in the RG Kar Medical College rape-murder incident and urging the Kolkata administration to take responsibility.
