Birupaksha Biswas, a senior resident doctor at Burdwan Medical College Hospital and allegedly close to arrested former RG Kar Medical college principal Sandip Ghosh, was on Wednesday transferred to Kakdwip Sub-Divisional Hospital.

This comes within 24 hours of the state government's suspension of Ghosh. Biswas, a former student of Ghosh in RG Kar, was also allegedly seen on RG Kar campus on August 9, hours after the rape and murder of the junior doctor.

Questions have been raised on what Biswas, who had no official link with RG Kar then, was apparently doing there on the day of the ghastly crime.

On Wednesday, the Burdwan Medical College authorities executed a transfer order, originally issued by the health department a year ago. He was directed to report to the Kakdwip hospital the same day. However, Biswas could not assume his new position on Wednesday. CPM supporters protested outside the hospital, alleging "professional misconduct", "intimidation of students" and "nexus with Sandip Ghosh".

Biswas said he would seek advice from the health directorate given the protests against him. He said that charges against him were "baseless" and expressed concern for his safety.

"I cannot join the Kakdwip hospital under these circumstances. I have planned to send an email to the health directorate, detailing the situation and seeking their guidance," Biswas told The Telegraph over the phone.

"This is a matter of my personal safety, which is of utmost importance to me. There is a malicious campaign against me with false accusations intended to tarnish my image. I refuse to be a victim of such baseless allegations," Biswas added.

As soon as the news of Biswas's transfer to Kakdwip spread, the CPM leadership in the South 24-Parganas' town hit the streets in protest. They accused Biswas of having a "dubious and questionable role in the RG Kar incident" and staged a protest at the gate of the sub-divisional hospital.

"We will not allow Birupaksha Biswas to enter Kakdwip Hospital. We don't want someone associated with Sandip Ghosh’s syndicate. Students of Burdwan Medical College have accused Biswas of terrorising them. He is suspected to be among those who were illegally present at the crime scene after the RG Kar doctor's rape and murder. We suspect he, in connivance with Ghosh and others, was present there to damage evidence," said a CPM leader in Kakdwip.

The sudden implementation of Biswas's transfer has made many within the medical community ask why the Burdwan Medical College authorities delayed the execution of the transfer order issued on August 11, 2023.

Sources at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital claimed Biswas used his influence with Trinamool to stay on and the transfer order was executed as his name cropped up in the RG Kar case.

Asked about the year-long delay, Burdwan Medical College and Hospital principal Moushumi Mukhopadhyay said: "Due to unavoidable issues, we were unable to release some of the 66 doctors for whom transfer orders were issued."

Biswas said his transfer was unrelated to the RG Kar incident. “My transfer order was issued last year. Later, the health department conducted merit-based counselling, and I was offered postings in Kakdwip, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri. I chose Kakdwip as I wasn't interested in going to north Bengal. I was also ill. Hence the delay," he said.