"Sandip Ghosh does not deserve to be called a doctor like us. The Chief Minister (Mamata Banerjee) should sack him – and not transfer him to some other hospital or not accept his resignation. All hospitals and medical colleges should shut their doors on such a man," Dr Sourav Datta, director of Medica Cancer Projects in West Bengal's Kolkata, told The Quint.
One name that has emerged at the center of the nationwide protests over the alleged rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital is Dr Sandip Ghosh. On Monday, 12 August, Dr Ghosh resigned as principal of the government-run hospital, citing "moral responsibility".
“The sole demand of people of the state was my resignation. So, I am resigning willingly and not under any pressure… There is a conspiracy to remove me from my position. I never asked what the doctor was doing at the seminar hall. A dirty politics is being played over the unfortunate incident. As a parent, I am resigning."Dr Sandip Ghosh to the media
However, within hours of his resignation, not only did the West Bengal government deny his resignation, but also transferred him to the city’s National Medical College to serve as principal.
But the decision is not unprecedented either. In one instance last year, Dr Ghosh was reinstated within 48 hours of a government order removing him.
‘Close Ties with Ruling TMC’
A resident of Beleghata in central Kolkata, father of two children, and orthopedic professor, Ghosh was appointed as principal of RG Kar College and Hospital in Kolkata in mid-2021. Before this stint, Ghosh had served as a medical superintendent cum vice-principal (MSVP) of CNMCH (Calcutta National Medical College).
Ghosh's tenure at CNMCH was controversy-free. However, the same cannot be said of his tenure at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
"We have heard from students at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital that there was a four-tier security system in place outside his office. If all the security is deployed in protecting him alone, how will such a person ensure the security of others in the hospital. Criminal proceedings should begin against him," added Dr Sourav Datta. Two students at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital that the Quint spoke to confirmed that Dr Ghosh's office was indeed "heavily fortified".
Apart from that, his three-year stint at RG Kar Hospital had been notorious for alleged scams and irregularities.
Akhtar Ali, Deputy Superintendent of Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, and former deputy superintendent of RG Kar Hospital, told The Quint that Dr Ghosh ran a mafia raj in the hospital.
“Dr Ghosh was involved in various types of corruption. Such was his clout that officials of the health department used to visit his house and make a list of doctors to be transferred," Akhtar alleged to The Quint.
"His clout and power are a result of the state government's 'parallel' system in health administration. He is known for his close ties to the ruling party in the state – the Trinamool Congress (TMC)," a former senior faculty member of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, who did not want to be named, told The Quint.
Mohammad Tauseef Rahman, a spokesperson of the TMC, however, denied accusations that the party was shielding Dr Ghosh. "It’s absolutely unfair to say that we have anything to hide relating to this principal. Dr Ghosh is a state government employee. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the person is inclined towards our party," he told The Quint.
A picture of Dr Ghosh that was purportedly taken on 4 June this year (the day election results were announced for the Lok Sabha, and the TMC swept West Bengal) has been circulating on social media. It shows Dr Ghosh flashing the 'victory' sign, covered in green abir (colour). The photo has further fuelled speculation about his ties, affiliation, and support for the TMC.
Reacting to it, Rahman said, "Many residents of West Bengal celebrated the victory of the TMC. Many commoners also celebrated. But no one has gone and asked them about why they were celebrating with green colour. Too much should not be read into it. Moreover, nowadays it’s easy to manipulate pictures."
Of Two Transfers and Quick Reinstatements
Last year, Dr Ghosh was transferred by the state health department twice, but he was quickly reinstated both the times.
On 3 June 2023, The Statesman newspaper reported that the state health department cancelled the transfer order of Dr Ghosh within 24 hours. The report said that he had been transferred to the Murshidabad Medical College Hospital (MMCH) but after Dr Ghosh locked the principal’s room at RG Kar Hospital from outside, preventing his transfer.
In September 2023, he was again transferred to MMCH following a ragging-related incident in the boys’ hostel. However, students close to the TMC allegedly prevented the newly appointed principal, Dr Manas Kumar Bandyopadhyay, from assuming charge for five days. And this time, Dr Ghosh was back at the helm of RG Kar Hospital within 21 days.
"Dr Ghosh wields enormous influence at the hospital as well as the health and family welfare department of the West Bengal government. As a result, he was able to make his way back to the college as principal despite being transferred twice, and amid allegations, unscathed," a source at the hospital told The Quint.
Charges of Misappropriating Funds
Serious allegations have been raised against Dr Ghosh ranging from misappropriation of funds to selling bio waste to illegal traders for reusing the same.
Many local news reports have highlighted how allegations of gross irregularities and corruption were raised against RG Kar Medical College and Hospital over the years.
In July 2023, Anandabazar Patrika reported that in 2022, the hospital spent nearly Rs 14.15 lakh alone on the counselling process which lasted merely for 20 days in four phases. Giving a breakup of some of the expenses, the report based on documents said that the hospital spent Rs 3 lakh on renting CCTV cameras, Rs 7.64 lakh on renting laptops, printers, and pen drives, and Rs 97,000 on WiFi.
After several written complaints relating to misappropriation of funds at RG Kar, the hospital set up a three-member investigation committee last year, which consisted of Akhtar Ali and two other senior doctors of the hospital. All the three were transferred after they submitted their report to the state's health and family welfare department.
In its report (a copy of which is with The Quint), the committee set up to probe the graft allegations, said:
On 10 May 2022 alone, the hospital spent Rs 94,00 to "purchase" toothpaste, soap, tea bags, and towels.
On 20 June 2022, the hospital spent Rs 99,790 on a WiFi connection.
On 25 June 2022 alone, the hospital spent more Rs 1 lakh on tea, coffee and flower decoration.
Between 29 April 2022 and 26 June 2022, various items worth Rs 10.23 lakh were purchased from the academic fund (to which the principal has access) of RG Kar.
The Anandabazar Patrika report noted that the same firm (Maa Tara Traders) supplied all these items as well as provided the WiFi connection. Later, they supplied equipment worth Rs 2.5 crore to RG Kar's skills laboratory. Queries to Maa Tara Traders on these allegations went unanswered. The story will be updated with their response as and when they revert.
The West Bengal Health and Family Welfare Department also did not respond to The Quint's queries on whether any action was initiated against Dr Ghosh after the probe panel's report.
'Flagged Smuggling of Biomedical Waste from Hospital'
Akhtar Ali alleged to The Quint that he was transferred from RG Kar in March 2023 as he was becoming a "thorn in their path of corruption".
"I flagged the smuggling of medical waste from the hospital to Bangladesh for a lot of money. I submitted a written report to the health and family welfare department of West Bengal, stating that a gang was smuggling used saline bottles, wires, syringes, and gloves out of the hospital. I was transferred soon after because I had stoned the beehive".
He also alleged that the hospital spent Rs 2.97 crore in building a skills lab while other government hospitals were able to build one for just Rs 60 lakh (he stated Diamond Harbour Government Medical College and Hospital as an example).
He also alleged that during COVID 19, Dr Ghosh purchased a High Flow Nasal Oxygenation (HFNO) machine at inflated rates instead of the market prices. He stated that the machine was bought for “almost 2 to 3 times higher than other hospitals”.
In his letter, he also alleged that the principal had rented out several places of the RG Kar Hospital to different persons to run stalls. Some of these stall owners did not have trade licence, GST registration certificate, Food Safety and Standards Authority certificate, Akhtar alleged.
Emails, messages and calls from The Quint to Dr Ghosh seeking a response to all the allegations that have been made against him went unanswered. The story will be updated as and when he responds.
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