Trouble mounts for Sandip Ghosh, CBI may further question former RG Kar principal after searching documents seized during raids

Former RG Kar director Sandip Ghosh is getting into trouble on a daily basis. After filing a complaint against him for financial irregularities, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided both of Ghosh's houses on Sunday. During searches that lasted for more than 12 hours, the CBI officials seized “important documents”. The investigation team returned to his Nizam's office in Kolkata late at night with several files seized from Ghosh's premises.

The FIR, based on complaints by former Deputy Superintendent Akhtar Ali and Principal Special Secretary (Health), names Sandeep Ghosh and three private firms – Tara Traders of Madhya Jorehat, Banipur, Howrah, Ehsan Cafe and Khana Louha.

All four persons are accused of criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption in the FIR under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Akhtar Ali had alleged before the Calcutta High Court that M/S Ehsan Cafe did not have any of the requisite documents to open and run a cafeteria in RG Kar Medical College and yet the contract was awarded to it without consulting the college council as required under the bye-laws.

The former deputy superintendent alleged that M/S Khama Louha did not have a required license from the FSSAI and yet was given the contract to run a food stall on government land in RG Kar. “There is an unethical nexus between the principal and the said vendor because even though he knew that it was an illegal food stall, he did not take any steps to prevent it,” Ali alleged before the Supreme Court.

Ali alleged that M/S Tara Traders, a food supplier, was given preference by Sandeep Ghosh in the tender for a skill lab in RG Kar in 2022. He also alleged money laundering in this connection.

The CBI on Sunday raided 15 locations, including these three firms, two premises linked to Sandeep Ghosh, the premises of former superintendent Sanjay Bashisht, supplier Biplab Singh and forensic protester Dr Debashish Som. Som and his wife were also later taken to the CBI Nizam office in Kolkata.

Lie detector, raids and delayed entry

Dr. Sandeep Ghosh initially refused to allow CBI investigators to enter his home in Calcutta. The former school principal was interrogated by the CBI's special unit for seven days on suspicion of destroying evidence in the rape and murder case. His lie detector test was also conducted on Saturday in connection with the case.

However, on Sunday, the former RG Kar strongman kept the CBI's Kolkata team waiting for over an hour when it stepped outside to investigate the corruption case handed over by the Kolkata High Court. The CBI may question him further after verifying his bank account details, property papers, digital devices and other files. A team of the agency also visited RG Kar's administrative block in connection with the probe.

The opposition in Bengal claims that Ghosh, with the help of “powerful people from the West Bengal establishment”, built a terror regime in RG Kar province to cover up his corrupt dealings.