The city police have started a case against former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh in connection with alleged financial irregularities at the hospital.

The health department has lodged a complaint against Ghosh with Tala police station. Sources said a special investigation team (SIT) formed by the state government would probe the complaint.

The move triggered questions about what took the state so long to start an inquiry into the long-standing allegations against Ghosh.

The police action comes at a time the CBI has been subjecting him to prolonged questioning. Ghosh appeared before the agency’s officers in their Salt Lake office for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday.

Many feel the probe was initiated to pacify the swelling protests against alleged government inaction and alleged tacit support for offenders at RG Kar, where a junior doctor was raped and murdered on August 9 and a mob went on the rampage on the eve of Independence Day.

Trinamool MP Jawhar Sircar took to his X handle to express “hope” after the government announced the formation of the SIT to probe the alleged financial irregularities at
RG Kar.

“West Bengal Govt appoints Special Investigation Team under IG of Police into corruption in RG Kar Hospital in last 4 years — ie, mainly during ex Principal, — allegations against whom are rocking the State. This is demonstrative action! Hope to see more,” he wrote on Monday.

Ghosh has been summoned to the Kolkata Police headquarters on Wednesday in connection with a case related to disclosing the name of the victim in public.

Sources said there are multiple allegations that Ghosh and his associates were involved in financial irregularities when he was the principal of RG Kar.

“There are different types of allegations such as manipulating government tenders by allowing ineligible vendors to participate in the bidding process and illegally awarding contracts to run food stalls on the hospital campus,” said a
police officer.

There are also allegations related to manipulation of canteen contracts in the boys’ and girls’ hostels.

A senior officer said the case against Ghosh has been started under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Ghosh has also been accused of failing to provide doctors and other staff basic security and trying to pass the blame on the junior doctor after her death. He has denied the second charge.