Kolkata doctor rape and murder: Sandip Ghosh, questioned by CBI, faces more problems as Bengal SIT probes hospital finances | Latest India News

Rape and murder case of a doctor in Calcutta: Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, is in even deeper trouble as the West Bengal government on Monday formed a special investigation team to probe financial irregularities at the hospital from January 2021 to date.

The move came even as Central Bureau of Investigation officials questioned Sandip Ghosh for the fourth consecutive day on Monday as part of their investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor at the health facility.

An order from the West Bengal government said an SIT has been set up to investigate the alleged financial irregularities and will submit a report within a month.

A “notification” issued by the Internal Security Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Bengal government said that the SIT, headed by Inspector General of Police Pranav Kumar, “has access to all relevant documents of government departments and private agencies required for expeditious completion of the investigation”.

“The SIT will submit its first report to the state government within one month of its establishment,” the order states.

BJP reacts

Reacting to the state government's move, Bharatiya Janata Party's IT chief Amit Malviya suspected that the West Bengal police would arrest Sandip Ghosh to prevent the CBI from taking him into custody.

“Now the West Bengal government is setting up an SIT to investigate the allegations of financial irregularities against Dr Sandeep Ghosh, the disgraced principal of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital. Four IPS officers are part of the SIT. How are cops equipped to investigate financial crimes? This is nothing but Mamata Banerjee's attempt to save Ghosh. The West Bengal Police will arrest Sandeep Ghosh just in time to prevent the CBI from taking him into custody,” Amit Malviya wrote on social media platform X.

“Unless Mamata Banerjee resigns, a free and fair investigation into the doctor's rape and murder will not be possible. She must resign now,” he added.

Sandip Ghosh questioned again

An official said Sandip Ghosh, who arrived at the CBI's Kolkata office in the CGO complex in the morning, was interrogated until late evening, for about 13 hours.

Among other things, he was asked to describe his role after receiving the news of the doctor's death, who he contacted afterward and why he made the parents wait for nearly three hours before they could see her body, an official told news agency PTI.

The former rector was also questioned about who ordered the renovation of the rooms adjacent to the seminar room after the body of the postgraduate intern was found there on August 9, he said.

Sandip Ghosh, who resigned from his post on August 11, was questioned by officials of the Central Investigation Agency for several hours over the past three days.

Some of his versions do not match those of the other people being questioned in the case, the official said. The call records and his chat details are also being examined.

Later in the evening, a team of CBI officials visited RG Kar Hospital to inspect the trauma ward and collect samples.

(With contributions from agencies)