Kolkata, Aug 16, 2024
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday took Sandip Ghosh, the controversial former principal of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College Hospital, to the agency’s Salt Lake office for questioning in connection with the rape and murder of a junior doctor on the hospital premises last week.
However, it is not clear yet whether Ghosh has been arrested or he has been detained for interrogation.
The development came hours after Ghosh approached the Calcutta High Court with a plea seeking police protection. However, the court directed him to file a proper petition in the matter following which it will be taken up for hearing next week.
He is currently on leave after the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday gave a clear instruction to the state Health Department not to appoint Ghosh, who stepped down as the principal of R.G. Kar on Monday, as the head of any medical college in the state until further orders.
Notably, hours after resigning as the principal of R.G. Kar citing “moral responsibility” on Monday, Ghosh was appointed as the principal of the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH), triggering protests by the medical students and junior doctors of CNMCH.
The main allegation against Ghosh is that he did not file an FIR with the local police station immediately after the body of the junior doctor was found in the seminar hall of the hospital on the morning of August 9. As there were no complaints, the police had to initially register a case of ‘unnatural death’, sources said.
Hearing a clutch of petitions on Tuesday, the high court also raised several questions on the role of the hospital authorities in handling the case.
“The principal is the guardian of all doctors working there… if he doesn’t show any empathy, who will? He should be at home, and not working anywhere. If the principal stepped down citing ‘moral responsibility’, it is a rather serious matter that he is rewarded within 12 hours with another appointment. Let him go on long leave, otherwise we will pass an order,” the court said.
Soon after that, the controversial doctor submitted an application to the state Health Department seeking 15-day leave.(Agency)
