KOLKATA, (IANS): The Health Department of the West Bengal government on Tuesday
finally suspended Sandip Ghosh, the controversial former principal of R.G. Kar
Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata where a junior doctor was found raped
and murdered on August 9 when Ghosh was in charge of the institute.
The Health Department announced Ghosh's suspension though
an official order issued late on Tuesday evening. However, instead of Health
Secretary N.S. Nigam, the order was signed by an officer on special duty in the
Health Department.
“In view of the ongoing criminal investigation against
Sandip Ghosh, Ex-Principal, RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata,
Ghosh is placed under suspension under Rule 7(1c) of West Bengal Services
(Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1971, with immediate effect,” the
order read.
However, representatives of the medical fraternity have
questioned the late action by the state government which is already under fire
for reportedly shielding Ghosh in the aftermath of the rape-murder case.
On Monday evening, Ghosh was arrested by the Central
Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after 16 days of questioning.
Ghosh was being questioned in connection with two
parallel probes being conducted by the CBI -- the rape and murder of the junior
doctor, and allegations of financial irregularities at the R.G Kar Medical
College and Hospital during his tenure.
The CBI arrested Ghosh in connection with its probe into
the allegations of financial irregularities at the state-run medical college.
A couple of days after the recovery of the junior
doctor's body, Ghosh announced his resignation both as the principal of R.G Kar
as well as from the state medical services.
However, the same day, instead of accepting his
resignation from the state medical services, the Health Department through a
notification announced Ghosh’s appointment as the principal of Calcutta
National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH), drawing flak from all corners.
The move opened floodgates of protests, both against
Ghosh and the state government with the latter being accused of making a
blatant attempt to shield the former.
However, Ghosh could not take over as the principal of
CNMCH as a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, while ordering a CBI
probe into the RG Kar incident, also barred him from being appointed as the
principal of any medical college in the state until further orders.
Trouble mounted for Ghosh after a former deputy
superintendent of RG Kar, Akhtar Ali, approached the Calcutta High Court with a
plea seeking a central agency probe into the financial 'irregularities' at the
hospital when Ghosh was at the helm of its affairs.
In his petition, Ali pointed out how his earlier appeals
to different departments of the state government as a whistle-blower
highlighting the financial irregularities were ignored by the administrative
machinery.
Acting on Ali's petition, the high court directed the CBI
to conduct a parallel probe into the charges of financial irregularities along
with the rape and murder case.
