RG Kar Ex-Principal Sandip Ghosh ‘Trafficked Bio-Medical Waste, Sold Unclaimed Bodies’

By OB Bureau On Aug 21, 2024

New Delhi: The unfortunate rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata’s Kar Hospital has exposed the wrongdoings of its former principal, Sandip Ghosh is in the eye of the storm since the incident. He is facing a series of new allegations including taking bribes from students to improve their scores, trafficking medical waste and selling unclaimed bodies, reported News18, saying there was no immediate reaction from authorities probing Ghosh or his side and that it couldn’t independently verify the charges.

Akhtar Ali, former deputy superintendent of RG Kar who has approached Kolkata Police, has alleged that Ghosh ran a nexus from the hospital, earning lakhs from illegal activities, reported News18, claiming it has seen a copy of the complaint.

Speaking to News18, Ali said he had complained to the vigilance department among others about Ghosh in 2023 but no action was taken. Instead, he was transferred for being the whistle-blower.

“I have lodged a complaint against Ghosh. He was a criminal and would earn lakhs from this hospital. Nobody listened to me then. Now, I will also approach the court,” he Ali was quoted as saying.

Ghosh is now at the receiving end of the public as well as the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court’s rebuke. Not only has the former principal a fresh set of corruption allegations to deal with, but the Mamata Banerjee government has also constituted an SIT to probe graft charges against him.

According to Ali, Ghosh sold bio-medical waste, such as gloves and syringes, to his Bangladeshi contacts in contravention of rules which stipulate that such waste can only be handed out to authorised centres for proper disposal and recycling. He also accused the former principal of selling unclaimed bodies apart from pocketing a 20 per cent bribe for all hospital tenders.

“He would take money from students who had failed to make them pass the exams. Several students were victims of this scandal,” Ali alleged.

Ali said Ghosh wielded such power that no action was ever taken against him despite multiple complaints. “There was a strong nexus so I think nothing happened. I worked there for a long time but no action was taken. I complained against him and was targeted, including being transferred.”

There has been no comment from authorities so far on Ali’s allegations, News18 reported.

What the CBI is asking Ghosh

Was he aware of why the victim was feeling pressured and if there was any complaint made to the college authorities regarding the same?

What was his role after getting the news of the doctor’s death, who he had contacted thereafter and why he made the parents wait for nearly three hours before getting to see her body?

Who had ordered renovation of rooms adjacent to the seminar hall, after the postgraduate trainee’s body was found there on August 9?

According to sources in the agency, his answers were changing in every round of questioning amid efforts to piece together what really happened after the crime was discovered.

The agency is also looking into allegations by the victim’s family that she was under pressure at RG Kar.

Notably, Ghosh hit headlines when he was appointed the principal of National Medical College, just four hours after he resigned from RG Kar, inviting the wrath of the Calcutta High Court.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court slammed Ghosh for trying to pass off the rape-murder as suicide and also questioned him for not allowing the parents of the victim to see the body.