Today, On 12th February, The Calcutta High Court has said that the RG Kar Hospital financial irregularities case should be handled quickly to keep people’s trust in the courts. This case was filed soon after the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the hospital, which shocked the entire country. The court warned that delayed justice could make people lose faith in the legal system. It has asked the authorities to conduct a fair and fast investigation into the matter.
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court emphasized the need for a prompt and fair trial in the financial irregularities case against Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Medical College and Hospital, to restore public confidence in the justice system.
This case emerged in the wake of the national outrage following the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the college in August 2024.
Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Gaurang Kanth remarked that the corruption allegations have significantly undermined public trust in state affairs, stating,
“Corruption in public administration erodes the confidence of the general people in the affairs of the State… A prompt trial of persons accused of corruption would reinforce the faith of the people in the justice delivery system.”
The Court was addressing a plea from Dr. Ghosh and other accused, who requested a delay in the framing of charges, citing that they had not received all the documents relied upon by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
They argued that this lack of access violates Section 230 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), which mandates the supply of police reports and related documents to the accused.
A previous single-judge bench had declined to grant relief, warning that any delay could prolong the trial. This led the accused to appeal to a Division Bench of the High Court. On Tuesday, the Division Bench instructed the CBI to ensure that all necessary documents are provided to Dr. Ghosh and the other accused, emphasizing that “the requirement of a fair trial is a sine qua non in this case.”
The Court ordered that scanned copies of the required documents be supplied by February 12, 2025, and directed the CBI and the accused to collaborate on document comparisons, even over weekends.
The Court reiterated its commitment to oversee the proceedings closely, stating,
“We do not want a situation of ‘justice hurried and buried.'”
The case remains pending, with the trial court instructed to schedule its next hearing before the High Court reviews the plea from Dr. Ghosh and the other accused. Dr. Ghosh was arrested by the CBI on September 2, 2024, following a High Court order for an investigation into the alleged financial irregularities connected to the RG Kar rape and murder case.
The investigation initiated after Akhtar Ali, a former Deputy Superintendent at RG Kar Hospital, accused Dr. Ghosh of serious misconduct during his tenure as principal. Although Dr. Ghosh initially challenged the High Court’s order in the Supreme Court, his appeal was dismissed on September 6, 2024.
Meanwhile, a trial court recently convicted Sanjay Roy, the prime accused in the rape and murder case, sentencing him to life imprisonment, while the CBI’s appeal for the death penalty is still pending before the High Court.
Dr. Sandip Ghosh, who served as the principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital from February 2021 until September 2023, is at the center of this investigation. His tenure at the institution has been marred by controversy, especially in light of his brief removal and subsequent reinstatement.
Dr. Ghosh was transferred in October 2023 but inexplicably resumed his role at the hospital within a month, a move that raised many eyebrows. His position at the hospital continued until a tragic incident occurred the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor, which led to his removal from the post.
The incident involving the trainee doctor further complicated Dr. Ghosh’s tenure, prompting his immediate removal from RG Kar Hospital. However, in a swift and controversial decision by the Mamata Banerjee-led government, he was reinstated to a similar position at the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMC) within hours of his removal.