In a major development in the RG Kar Hospital corruption case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Ashish Pandey, a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital and an alleged close associate of former principal Sandip Ghosh. Pandey, who is also linked with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its student wing, has been taken into custody as part of the ongoing probe. His involvement adds to the growing list of arrests in this high-profile case, which includes the horrific rape-murder of a young doctor.
This is the fifth arrest in the corruption investigation, with previous arrests including Sandip Ghosh and his associates—bodyguard Afsar Ali, Suman Hazra, and Biplab Sinha, all accused of illegal activities related to the hospital’s procurement processes.
No Comment from TMC Yet
While Pandey’s association with the TMC has been mentioned, there has been no official comment from the party. Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad state president Trinankur Bhattacharya stated, “We are yet to hear the full details of the case, but we trust the legal process and believe that justice will prevail.”
Pandey was also listed among 59 hospital staff members served show-cause notices following the shocking rape and murder of a second-year post-graduate student. During that investigation, he was allegedly harassed by protesting junior doctors when he appeared before an inquiry committee investigating harassment on the hospital campus.
Opposition Responds
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari reacted strongly to Pandey’s arrest, labeling him as a “TMC strongman” and a key figure in the alleged culture of intimidation prevalent at state-run medical colleges. Adhikari expressed confidence that the CBI’s interrogation of Pandey would reveal further involvement in these crimes and help dismantle the network responsible for the corruption.
Financial Irregularities at RG Kar Hospital
The corruption case dates back to allegations of significant financial misconduct during Sandip Ghosh’s tenure as principal. The charges include irregularities in awarding contracts, bypassing the state’s Public Works Department (PWD) to outsource infrastructure tasks to private firms, and illegal activities involving the sale of biomedical waste and human organs from unidentified bodies brought for postmortem.
The Calcutta High Court handed over the investigation to the CBI after concerns were raised about the handling of the case by local authorities. Sandip Ghosh, along with other key individuals, has also been implicated in the rape-murder case, where he is accused of attempting to tamper with evidence during the investigation.
The arrest of Ashish Pandey is seen as a critical step in uncovering the full extent of the corruption and other criminal activities that have plagued RG Kar Hospital.
Stay updated for further developments.
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