New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday shared a letter allegedly signed by former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, ordering renovation work near the college’s seminar hall where the body of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was found on the intervening night of August 8 and 9. The viral letter, dated August 10, directs repair work just a day after the horrific incident.
Multiple news reports have suggested that Ghosh had ordered renovations near the seminar hall, fueling speculations of potential evidence tampering.
West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Mazumdar took to X to share a letter allegedly signed by Sandip Ghosh, that ordered renovation work citing a lack of proper and separate doctors' rooms and washrooms.
“The order, signed by Sandip Ghosh, former director of RG Kar Medical College, is dated August 10, just one day after the victim’s death. Despite allegations from colleagues and protesters about tampering with the crime scene, the Police Commissioner denied it,"Sukanta Mazumdar said in a post on X.
The order, signed by Sandip Ghosh, former director of RG Kar Medical College, is dated August 10, just one day after the victim's death. Despite allegations from colleagues and protesters about tampering with the crime scene, the Police Commissioner denied it. @CBIHeadquarterspic.twitter.com/FEOirTn0ho
— Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) September 5, 2024
The memo – written to the executive engineers of several departments of the public works department, Kolkata, by Sandip Ghosh – said the hospital authorities wanted to repair the attached toilets.
Initially, it was perceived that the instruction to the Public Works Department (PWD) to start the renovation work was given by an administrative official of RG Kar under the instruction of Ghosh. However, the memo written to the executive engineers of several departments of PWD, Kolkata by Sandip Ghosh made it clear that the hospital authorities wanted to repair the attached toilets.
The purported letter was titled, “Repair/Renovation/Reconstruction of on duty Doctors’ Rooms along with separate attached toilets in all departments of RGKMC&H, Kolkata on urgent basis”.
“I would like to inform you that there are deficiency of on duty Doctors’ Rooms and separate attached toilets in various departments of RGKMC&H, Kolkata. You are hereby requested to do the needful immediately as per demand of Residents’ Doctors of RGKMC&H," the letter read.
“The issue is already discussed and resolved in the meeting with Principal Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare Government of West Bengal & and Director of Medical Education, Department of Health & Family Welfare Government of West Bengal today in the Board Room of PIE of RGKMC&H. Please do the needful immediately,” the letter added.
Notably, just hours after a division bench of Calcutta High Court ordered CBI to take over the rape and investigation probe from Kolkata Police, the state PWD staff on August 13 attempted the renovation work at a room adjacent to the seminar hall from where the body of the victim was recovered on the morning of August 9.
Sandip Ghosh Suspended By Bengal Government
The West Bengal Government on Tuesday suspended the former principal of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The development came a day after Ghosh and three others were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with a financial fraud case. Notably, Ghosh was the principal of the RG Kar hospital in Kolkata when a post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor was allegedly raped and murdered inside the hospital.
"In view of the ongoing criminal investigation against Prof. (Dr.) Sandip Ghosh, Ex Principal, RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata, Prof. (Dr.) Ghosh is placed under suspension under Rule 7(1c) of West Bengal Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1971 with immediate effect," the state government said in an order. Earlier in the day, Ghosh and three other accused were sent to the CBI custody for eight days. The CBI is also probing his alleged role in the Kolkata rape and murder case.
After the Kolkata doctor's alleged rape and murder, Ghosh was transferred to the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital. However, his transfer was revoked amid protests over the rape and murder case. The Indian Medical Association had already suspended Ghosh's membership after this case.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh in connection with the alleged financial irregularities at the facility, which is under intense scrutiny over the alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor there last month.
Ghosh was taken into custody after two weeks of questioning over the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder case. Ghosh's security guard, and hospital vendors who used to supply material to the hospital were also arrested by the agency.