Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder-Case: Former RG Kar Hospital Principal Sandip Ghosh Granted Bail

A court in Kolkata, West Bengal, granted bail on Friday to Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Hospital, and Abhijit Mondal, a former police officer, in connection with the rape and murder case of a doctor.

The Sealdah Court approved the bail for Mondal, who was previously the officer in charge of Tala police station, and Ghosh after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) failed to file the chargesheet within the required 90-day period.

Ghosh was arrested following the tragic incident at state-run RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, which gained significant media attention when a trainee doctor was found dead in the chest department auditorium on August 10. The doctor was allegedly raped and murdered by civic volunteer Sanjay Roy on the night of August 9-10.

Ghosh had also come under scrutiny for allegedly delaying the investigation. Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court ordered an inquiry into alleged financial irregularities at the hospital during his tenure. This followed a petition by Akhtar Ali, the former deputy superintendent, who requested that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigate multiple alleged instances of financial misconduct during Ghosh's time as principal.

Earlier this month, the CBI included in its chargesheet that Ghosh allegedly assisted two cartels in securing hospital contracts, according to PTI reports. Although the special court acknowledged the chargesheet, it has not yet taken cognisance, as the West Bengal government has not granted the necessary sanction to prosecute Ghosh and the other accused.

Ghosh resigned from his position as principal of RG Kar Medical College on August 12 amid protests over the rape and murder of the trainee doctor. The CBI chargesheet names Ghosh, former House Staff member Ashish Kumar Pandey, and businessmen Biplab Singha, Suman Hazra, and Afsar Ali Khan, in connection with alleged hospital contract irregularities.

"This case was registered in compliance with the directions of the Hon'ble High Court at Calcutta regarding financial irregularities in RG Kar Medical College & Hospital at Kolkata," said a CBI spokesperson.

The CBI alleges that Ghosh and Pandey violated rules by appointing several doctors as house staff and assisted two cartels-one run by Singha and Hazra, the other by Khan-in obtaining multiple contracts for the hospital.

"Upon careful perusal, it was clear that the sanction order from the competent authority has not yet been received. Therefore, cognisance cannot be taken without this sanction. Let it be kept with the record," said the Special Judge, as reported by PTI.

Ghosh served as principal from February 2021 to September 2023. Although he was transferred in October last year, he inexplicably returned to the post within a month. Following his resignation in August, he was briefly appointed as principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital but was later placed on indefinite leave after objections from the High Court and public protests.