RG Kar financial scam: Sandip Ghosh finally turns up at ED office

Kolkata: Sandip Ghosh, former principal of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, finally turned up at the Enforcement Directorate's Salt Lake office on Tuesday, but several hours behind his scheduled appearance.

Ghosh arrived at the ED’s Salt Lake office a little before 1.30 p.m. and went straight inside to face questioning by the ED officials investigating the multi-crore financial irregularities case involving the institute.

He was scheduled to appear at 11 a.m., but at that hour, his counsel reached the central agency’s office. However, Ghosh finally appeared at the ED office hours after his scheduled time.

Earlier, he was summoned by the ED for interrogation in the matter on November 4. However, he did not turn up for interrogation on that day, and instead sought time from the ED officials to appear.

The ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have been conducting parallel investigations into the alleged irregularities at the medical college.

The CBI arrested Ghosh in 2024 in connection with the case. He was initially held in CBI custody and subsequently remanded to judicial custody, where he remained for a period. The Supreme Court granted him bail on October 15 this year.

The ED's summons has brought the case back into focus, with the agency seeking to question Ghosh as part of its investigation.

The alleged financial irregularities, involving several crores of rupees, came to light after a junior woman doctor was raped and murdered on the hospital premises in August 2024. The incident triggered widespread outrage and protests.

It was alleged that government funds were illegally transferred from the hospital's bank account to accounts of influential vendors and contractors close to Ghosh. Following the allegations, officers of the CBI's Kolkata Anti-Corruption Branch registered a case on August 24, 2024, and arrested the former principal.

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