In a series of explosive allegations, a former deputy superintendent of RG Kar Medical College, Akhtar Ali, has accused Sandip Ghosh, the institution’s former principal, of a range of illegal activities, including the sale of unclaimed bodies and involvement in a biomedical waste trafficking network. These allegations have sent shockwaves through the medical community, prompting immediate calls for a thorough investigation.
Speaking to India Today TV, Ali, who served at RG Kar Medical College until 2023, detailed the alleged misconduct by Ghosh. He claimed that Ghosh was deeply involved in the illegal sale of unclaimed dead bodies and was linked to a biomedical waste trafficking operation that extended across the border to Bangladesh.
Ali also alleged that Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer implicated in a recent high-profile rape and murder case, was part of Ghosh’s security detail, further complicating the former principal’s position.
“Sandip Ghosh was engaged in illicit activities, including the trafficking of unclaimed bodies and biomedical waste,” Ali stated. “This waste was sold to individuals connected to his security team and was later transported to Bangladesh.”
Ali revealed that he had reported these illegal activities to the state vigilance commission and was part of the inquiry committee that investigated Ghosh. Despite the committee finding Ghosh guilty, no action was taken against him. Instead, Ali and the other members of the committee were abruptly transferred from their positions shortly after submitting their report.
“The day I submitted the report, I, along with the other committee members, was immediately transferred. I did everything within my power to protect the students from this man, but I failed,” Ali lamented.
Bribery and financial misconduct at RG Kar Hospital
The allegations do not end with illegal trafficking. Ali further accused Dr Ghosh of soliciting bribes from students in exchange for passing grades, claiming that some students were deliberately made to fail to extort money from them.
He also alleged that Ghosh took a 20 per cent commission on every hospital tender, awarding contracts exclusively to two close associates, Suman Hazra and Biplab Singha, who allegedly controlled a network of 12 companies.
Government and judicial response
Ghosh resigned amid protests following the murder of a trainee doctor, only to be controversially reappointed at Calcutta Medical College just hours later. However, the Calcutta High Court intervened, placing Ghosh on indefinite leave and questioning the state government’s decision.
The Mamata Banerjee government has since ordered an investigation into financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College, focusing on transactions dating back to January 2021.
First Published: Aug 21 2024 | 2:54 PM IST
