Financial fraud RG Kar: Court rejects CBI's request to produce Sandip Ghosh virtually for hearing

Kolkata, September 10 (IANS): A special court in Kolkata on Tuesday rejected the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)'s request to produce former principal of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital Sandip Ghosh virtually for hearing later in the day.

The hearing is expected to begin at 3 p.m.

With Ghosh's current CBI custody ending on Tuesday, the CBI has requested that he be produced virtually before the special court for security reasons as public anger against him continues to grow and persist following the gruesome rape and murder of the medical college junior doctor.

According to sources, the CBI has sought permission both verbally and in writing to produce Ghosh virtually. However, the special court rejected the request and said he must be produced in person.

Ghosh is currently in CBI custody for allegedly being involved in the RG Kar financial irregularities case. The protesting representatives of the state's medical fraternity have alleged that the junior doctor met such a tragic end because she had learned some gory secrets about the functioning of the hospital.

As per the court order, the three other persons arrested in the case, namely Afsar Ali, Suman Hazra and Biplab Sinha, will also have to be produced in person. While Ali is Ghosh's personal bodyguard, Sinha and Hazra are vendors who supplied medical equipment to RG Kar when Ghosh was in charge.

It may be recalled that when Ghosh was first produced in court on September 3, CBI officials had great difficulty in escorting him into the courtroom as hundreds of people had gathered outside the court premises to protest.

As Ghosh was being led out of the courtroom, one of the protesters even slapped him in the face.

Earlier, on September 6, the special court had allowed the state correctional authorities to virtually produce volunteer Sanjay Roy, the only accused arrested in the rape and murder case.