A health department official who was earlier posted at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has levelled a slew of allegations against former principal Sandip Ghosh, labelling him “nothing short of a mafia” and saying he had received threat calls for daring to complain against him.
Akhtar Ali, a former deputy superintendent (non-medical) at RG Kar who now holds the same post at Murshidabad Medical College, said Ghosh was involved in a “big biomedical waste scam”.
He alleged that Ghosh would take commission from contractors and large sums of money from students after promising to ensure they would not fail in exams and would get their internship completion certificates.
“Ghosh used to preside over a biomedical waste scam. The waste generated at
the hospital every day, weighing 500-600kg, would be sold to unauthorised persons. The waste included rubber gloves, saline bottles, syringes, needles and other items. These can only be handed out to authorised centres for proper disposal and recycling,” Ali told Metro on Tuesday.
This newspaper called up Ghosh on Tuesday evening for his reaction to the allegations. A message saying “the number you have called is not available” kept playing after his number was called.
All healthcare facilities, Ali said, must abide by the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, state that biomedical waste must be handed to authorised centres for disposal and recycling through proper means.
On Tuesday, Kolkata Police started an investigation against Ghosh for his alleged involvement in financial irregularities at the hospital, a senior police officer said.
The state government has formed a Special Investigation Team to probe all alleged financial irregularities at the hospital since January 2021.
Ghosh was appointed RG Kar principal in 2021.
Ali told this newspaper on Tuesday that he had sent written complaints to the state vigilance commission, anti-corruption bureau and the headquarters of the state health department at Swasthya Bhavan on July 13, 2023.
“I had lodged several complaints and tried to alert the government about the malpractices. But nothing happened and I was transferred from RG Kar. My wife and other family members and I started receiving threat calls. The callers said they would hurt us if I did not keep quiet. Later, I also sent a complaint to the chief minister’s grievance cell,” said Ali.
Ali said Ghosh would take commission from contractors who were hired to execute various projects or provide medical equipment and peripherals to the hospital. He also allegedly tookhuge sums of money for transfer of doctors andother employees and encouraged a section of studentsto drink in guest rooms athostels.
“He would buy alcohol for a section of students and encourage them to drink in the guest room. He would use the same students to run his writ in the hospital. He would also collect Rs 10 lakh from students after promising to ensure that they would not fail in exams and would get their internship completion certificates,” Ali said.
According to him, Ghosh had a posse of at least 20 guards and four bouncers, who would follow him inside the campus. Ali, who was called to a meeting at Swasthya Bhavan on Tuesday, said he apprised officials of his findings and apprehensions. A health department official said a probe had been started based on Ali’s complaints.
