Kolkata doctor murder: Why Sandip Ghosh was not put on compulsory waiting, asks BJP

Kolkata, Aug 13 (IANS) BJP’s information technology cell chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal Amit Malviya, on Tuesday, questioned the Mamata government over the 'prized posting' of the former principal of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, saying why he was not put on compulsory waiting for the sake of a fair probe. 

Dr Sandip Ghosh was the principal of the R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital Malviya where a woman doctor was raped and murdered.

On Monday morning Ghosh announced his decision to resign both as the R.G Kar principal as well as from West Bengal Medical Services honouring the demand of the medical fraternity in particular and the public in general.

However, the same evening, information surfaced that his resignation from state government service had not been accepted and instead, he had been instated as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College & Hospital (CNMCH).

“One would have imagined that after the horrific rape and murder of a lady doctor at the RG Kar MCH, the controversial Principal Dr Sandip Ghosh would have been put on compulsory wait, if not held to account, pending inquiry. But Mamata Banerjee, Health Minister of Bengal, as some sort of reward, has transferred this corrupt venal man as Principal of Calcutta National Medical College & Hospital, another premier institute,” Malviya's statement posted X read.

In his statement, Malviya also claimed that there might be some hidden facts behind the attempt to protect Ghosh in such a manner

“Why would someone want to protect a man as disgraceful as Sandip Ghosh, unless there was more than what meets the eye? Ghosh, in the past has also managed to bounce back from posting orders, only to return to RG Kar in no time. His tenure as Principal has been marred with widespread corruption and gross irregularities. Add rape and murder to it now. Mamata Banerjee must explain,” Malviya’s statement read.

Since Ghosh’s new posting was announced by the state health department on Tuesday evening, the medical students and junior doctors of CNMCH have gone into a full-fledged agitation mode challenging the appointment.

The agitating students and junior doctors at CNMCH locked the principal's room from the outside, stating that under no circumstance they would allow Ghosh to occupy the chair of the principal. The agitators also announced indefinite protests on the CNMCH premises till Ghosh's appointment order was taken back.

The medical students were claiming that Ghosh managed to be instated as the CNMCH principal because of the clout he enjoys in the Health Department and the political circles in the state.