Three flats, two houses and a farmhouse in Kolkata and another flat in Murshidabad — multiple properties belonging to Dr Sandip Ghosh, former Principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and his wife Sangeeta are under the scanner in the corruption probe against him.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is examining documents linked to these assets and digital devices as part of its investigation into alleged financial irregularities in the hospital, which came into focus in the aftermath of a 31-year-old doctor’s rape and murder on August 9.
The central agency suspects that Dr Ghosh and his wife bought these properties with proceeds of crime. “These documents related to properties were seized based on the prima facie suspicion that those properties were purchased out of Proceeds of Crime,” ED has said.
The ED has found that Sangeeta Ghosh bought two properties without proper approval from West Bengal government and was later granted a post facto approval by none other than Dr Sandip Ghosh, her senior at work during that time.
“During the search, it was unravelled that Dr. Sangeeta Ghosh w/o Dr Sandip Ghosh, had purchased two immovable properties without any proper approval from the State Government Authorities. Interestingly, a post facto approval was granted to Dr. Sangeeta Ghosh to purchase the property by Dr. Sandip Ghosh in year 2021. During this period, Dr.
Sandip Ghosh was posted in capacity of Principal of R. G. Kar Medical College and Dr. Sangeeta Ghosh was posted there as an Assistant Professor,” the ED has said.
The ED on Friday searched seven premises belonging to Dr Ghosh, his close relatives and associates. The investigation is being carried out in a case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The ED’s case is based on an FIR registered by the CBI under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Dr Ghosh has come under the scanner for the state-run hospital’s response to the doctor’s rape and murder of its premises. The Mamata Banerjee government’s move to name him the principal of a medical college hours after he stepped down from the top post of RG Kar Medical College had raised eyebrows. Both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court questioned why the hospital administration under Dr Ghosh did not register a police complaint after the doctor’s body was found.
Amid the outrage over the shocking incident, allegations of large-scale corruption in the hospital emerged. A former colleague of Dr Ghosh approached the high court, accusing him of corruption. The court then handed over the case to the CBI, which is also probing the rape-murder.
