RG Kar Medical College corruption case: CBI arrests TMC leader for aiding ex-principal Sandip Ghosh

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader on Thursday (October 3) for alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Ashish Pandey, a TMC youth leader, has been accused of helping Dr. Sandip Kumar Ghosh, a former principal of the medical college, who is also under arrest in the same case. Pandey, believed to have close ties with Ghosh, had been under investigation by the CBI and was questioned on September 30, according to the central agency.

Pandey, who works at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, is said to have links with the Trinamool Congress Students' Wing, TMCP. He allegedly served as the president of TMCP's unit at the college.

Trinankur Bhattacharya, the state president of the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (students' wing) and party spokesperson, commented on the situation, telling Press Trust of India, "We are yet to hear details about the case. But as of now, we can say that the law will take its own course and we have faith in the justice system."

BJP's Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition in the Bengal assembly, claimed that Pandey was a "strongman of the TMC," involved in promoting a culture of intimidation in government-run medical colleges.

Adhikari further said, "With his arrest and interrogation, CBI will be able to reach to the bottom of this culture at medical colleges and find out all those involved."

Previously, the CBI had arrested Sandip Ghosh along with three others—his bodyguard Afsar Ali, and vendors Suman Hazra and Biplab Sinha—who supplied medical equipment to the hospital during Ghosh's tenure as principal.

Ghosh was initially arrested in connection with a corruption case on September 2. Later, he was also taken into custody in relation to an August 9 case involving the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the medical college.

(With inputs from agencies)