Kolkata: Sandeep Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking justice in a corruption case. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear his plea on September 6. Notably, Ghosh submitted this petition prior to his recent arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The petition challenges a Calcutta High Court order that transferred the investigation of alleged financial misconduct at RG Kar Hospital to the CBI. Ghosh argues that the principles of natural justice were not applied in his case and has requested the removal of certain adverse remarks made against him by the High Court.
High Court’s Decision and Ghosh’s Defence
The controversy began when the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI inquiry into financial irregularities at RG Kar Hospital. The case was originally being investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the West Bengal government. However, the High Court transferred the case to the CBI, a decision Ghosh contends was made without giving him a fair hearing.
Ghosh also disputes the High Court’s decision to connect a separate incident of rape at the hospital to the corruption charges against him, suggesting that the linkage was unwarranted and prejudicial.
Arrest and Allegations of Misconduct
Ghosh was arrested by the CBI along with three others — his security guard Afsar Ali and hospital vendors Biplab Singha and Suman Hazara — for alleged financial misconduct at the state-run hospital. His arrest followed a petition filed by Dr. Akhtar Ali, a former Deputy Superintendent at the hospital, who called for a thorough investigation into multiple cases of alleged financial misconduct during Ghosh’s tenure.
Dr. Akhtar Ali claimed that his earlier complaints to the State Vigilance Commission and the Anti-Corruption Bureau had gone unheeded and led to his transfer from RG Kar Medical College. His petition prompted the Calcutta High Court to direct the CBI to take over the investigation.
Seeking Fair Trial and Justice
Ghosh maintains that the High Court did not adequately consider his side of the story before ordering a CBI probe. He has called for a fair hearing and hopes the Supreme Court will offer him justice. Meanwhile, the CBI continues its investigation into both the corruption case and the separate rape and murder case involving a trainee doctor at the hospital.
The Supreme Court’s decision on Ghosh’s plea will be closely watched, as it could have significant implications for the ongoing investigations and the legal principles surrounding due process and fair trials in India.
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