CBI Probes Financial Irregularities at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College

The CBI has taken over the investigation into alleged financial irregularities at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College following the death of a trainee doctor. The transfer from the state's SIT aims to ensure a comprehensive and unbiased inquiry, addressing serious allegations and public concerns about health and safety.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday registered a case of alleged financial irregularities at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College, where a trainee doctor was found dead on August 9, officials said. The agency took over the investigation from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the West Bengal government on the directions of the Calcutta High Court.

The high court, which had already handed over the probe into the rape and murder of the medico, also transferred the investigation of financial irregularities to the CBI ''in the interest of ensuring a comprehensive and unbiased inquiry.''

''This Court directs that the investigation be transferred to the CBI, given that the case involved serious allegations and multiple agencies handling different aspects could lead to inefficiencies or inconsistencies, causing delays in the judicial process and potential misinterpretation of information,'' said Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj.

He added that handing over the investigation to the CBI ensures consistency.

The high court directed the CBI to submit a progress report on the investigation within three weeks. The state police were ordered to hand over the case diary and necessary paperwork by Saturday at 10 AM.

The central probe agency collected all documents from the police and re-registered the FIR. According to the procedure, the CBI re-registers the FIR as its own, keeping the details unchanged. The central agency will submit its findings in the final report before a special court. The High Court directives for a CBI probe came on the plea of former Deputy Superintendent of the hospital, Akhtar Ali, who alleged financial irregularities during the tenure of its former principal, Sandip Ghosh.

Ali had filed a complaint with the state police in July 2023, providing documentary evidence of massive corruption, improper utilization of government funds, selling of used hazardous biomedical waste, and transfer of officers for monetary benefit, citing serious public health and safety ramifications.

The state government had constituted an SIT on August 16 to investigate the allegations of financial irregularities in RG Kar Hospital from January 2021 to the present.

The medical college gained media attention following the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor on August 9, leading to nationwide protests by doctors and citizens. The Supreme Court on Friday appealed to protesting doctors to resume work, assuring necessary directions for their safety.

(With inputs from agencies.)