Lagatar24 Desk
Kolkata: The brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 shocked the nation and put the institution’s former principal, Sandip Ghosh, under intense scrutiny. Once respected for his academic and administrative career, Ghosh is now facing allegations of corruption and mismanagement, which have surfaced in the wake of the tragic incident.
The Rise of Sandip Ghosh
Sandip Ghosh, an accomplished orthopaedic surgeon, completed his education at RG Kar Medical College, where he later returned as the principal in 2021. After earning his MBBS in 1994, Ghosh steadily rose through the ranks, eventually serving as vice-principal at Calcutta National Medical College before taking the helm at his alma mater. His journey from Bongaon High School, a small town near Kolkata, to the leadership of one of West Bengal’s prominent medical institutions made him a role model in his hometown.
However, the reverence Ghosh once enjoyed has been overshadowed by serious allegations, some of which were brought to light well before the recent scandal.
Allegations of Corruption
In July 2022, Akhtar Ali, the former Deputy Superintendent of RG Kar Medical College, filed a complaint with the state vigilance commission accusing Sandip Ghosh of multiple corrupt practices. The allegations included mismanagement of government funds, nepotism in vendor selection, and irregularities in hiring contractual staff. Despite the gravity of these accusations, Ghosh continued to serve as principal without any apparent repercussions.
The anti-corruption branch even alerted the principal secretary about these concerns, yet no significant action was taken against Ghosh, allowing him to maintain his influential position.
The August 9 Rape-Murder Horror
The discovery of the doctor’s body in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College on August 9 sent shockwaves through India. The young doctor had been raped and murdered, and as the investigation unfolded, Ghosh’s actions—or lack thereof—came under fire. Accusations of victim-blaming further tarnished his reputation, leading to his resignation as principal.
However, controversy deepened when, just hours after stepping down, Ghosh was appointed as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College. This swift reassignment sparked outrage among protesters and opposition parties, who claimed that Ghosh was being rewarded despite the horrifying incident that occurred under his watch.
Legal Scrutiny and Investigation
Both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court have criticized Ghosh and the hospital administration for their response to the doctor’s death. The High Court questioned why an unnatural death case was registered instead of a formal complaint, calling it a “serious lapse” that raised suspicions. Additionally, the court expressed concern over the state’s urgency in appointing Ghosh to another prestigious position immediately after his resignation.
The Supreme Court echoed these concerns, reprimanding Ghosh and the administration for delaying the registration of an FIR and scrutinizing his quick reassignment.
Currently, Sandip Ghosh is under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the state government. He has been questioned for over 60 hours in the past five days, with authorities probing both corruption allegations and the possible disclosure of the rape-murder victim’s identity.
As the investigation continues, Sandip Ghosh’s once-celebrated career is now overshadowed by controversy, leaving many to wonder how the fall from grace of such a prominent figure could have been prevented.
