HC TRANSFERS TO CBI PROBE INTO RG KAR HOSPITAL’S IRREGULARITIES
The Calcutta high court on Friday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over a probe from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) into allegations of financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, a government-run facility in Kolkata which is at the centre of a storm over the rape and murder of a junior doctor earlier this month.
A single bench of justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj ordered the federal agency, which is already investigating the rape and murder case on the directions of the high court, to take possession of all documents relevant to the probe into the alleged financial irregularities at the hospital by 10am on Saturday, and file a status report by September 17, lawyers who attended the hearing said.
The order was passed on a petition by former hospital deputy superintendent Akhtar Ali, who sought a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into alleged financial misconduct at the state-run institute during the tenure of former principal Sandip Ghosh, who was recently removed from his post following an uproar over the rape and murder of the junior medic.
Ghosh’s counsels moved a division bench, presided by Justice Harish Tandon, against the order of the single bench but the plea was not admitted till 5pm.
Welcoming the order, Ali said: “The high court heard my petition and ordered CBI to take over the probe from the SIT that was formed by the state government on Monday. I am happy. I am sure CBI will unravel the truth,” Ali said.
There was no immediate reaction from the state government or Trinamool Congress leaders till the time of filing this report.
BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay, a former judge of the high court, demanded a CBI investigation. He said, “A CBI probe is necessary to get to the bottom of the scams taking place at the hospital.”