A special CBI court in Alipore has officially framed charges against Dr. Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College, and four others in a major corruption case. The charges, framed on July 14, include criminal conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust, forgery, and corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The court has scheduled the trial to begin on July 22, 2025.
The CBI began investigating the case in August 2024, following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor on campus. During that probe, the agency uncovered possible financial wrongdoing at the college. These included rigged tenders, illegal staff appointments, fake documents, and embezzlement of college funds.
Dr. Ghosh was arrested on September 2, 2024, after the CBI found evidence of misuse of public funds, irregular staff hiring, and suspicious purchases of medical equipment. He was suspended soon after by state health authorities and the Indian Medical Association. He spent eight days in CBI custody and was reportedly assaulted during one of his court appearances.
The CBI filed its first chargesheet on November 30, 2024. It ran over 1,000 pages, listed 400 pieces of evidence, and named 120 witnesses. The agency accused Ghosh and his associates of favouring certain vendors and siphoning off funds using fake documents. Vendors linked to him were also under scrutiny.
Despite the seriousness of the charges, the case was delayed due to legal procedures and the need for government approval. Ghosh and the other accused tried to get the charges dropped, but the court allowed the case to move forward.
Currently, Dr. Ghosh remains in custody for the corruption case, though he has been granted bail in the separate case related to evidence tampering in the rape-murder investigation.
This high-profile case has raised major concerns about corruption in public medical institutions. The upcoming trial will be closely watched as it could set an important precedent for accountability in the health education sector.
