CBI Faces Show-Cause Order for Lapses in RG Kar Financial Corruption Case

Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, January 31, 2025, Kolkata :  The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been issued a show-cause notice by a trial court for procedural lapses in informing the court about the West Bengal government's approval for framing charges against former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh in connection with financial irregularities at the institution. This order comes after the CBI had informed the Calcutta High Court about the state government’s clearance to proceed with the charge-framing and trial process.

The RG Kar case, initially centered around allegations of rape and murder involving a doctor, has expanded to include significant charges of financial corruption. Former RG Kar director, Sandeep Ghosh, was arrested as one of the key accused in the case related to these financial irregularities. However, charge-framing could not be initially carried out due to a lack of approval for the health building in question, which was a key element of the case. Recently, the state health department granted the necessary approval, but the CBI failed to inform the trial court about this development in a timely manner.

On January 28, the CBI had notified the Calcutta High Court of the state's approval to move forward with the charge-framing and trial process. However, the trial court expressed concerns about why the CBI had not informed the same court directly. As a result, the trial court has demanded a written explanation from the central agency regarding the oversight.

According to reports, the CBI had received the no-objection certificate from the state government on the evening of January 27 and promptly communicated it to the High Court the following day. Alongside this, the CBI submitted an update on the progress of the investigation into the financial irregularities at RG Kar. The Calcutta High Court directed that the charge-framing be completed, and the trial process begin within a week.

In addition to the CBI’s investigation, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also conducting a parallel probe into the case, focusing on the money laundering angle. The ED initiated its investigation independently after filing an enforcement case information report (ECIR).

The CBI has named five individuals in connection with the case, all of whom are currently in judicial custody. They include Sandip Ghosh, his assistant-cum-bodyguard Afsar Ali, private contractors Biplab Sinha and Suman Hazra, and a junior doctor, Ashish Pandey. The primary charges in the case involve manipulation of the tendering process at RG Kar, bypassing the state Public Works Department to award infrastructure contracts in exchange for hefty commissions, smuggling of bio-medical waste, and the illegal sale of organs from unidentified bodies sent to the hospital's morgue.

The investigation is ongoing, and the CBI is expected to continue its efforts to bring those responsible for the alleged corruption and criminal activities to justice.