RG Kar scam: CBI finds documents of medical equipment never purchased but billed

KOLKATA — The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials probing the case of financial irregularities in state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital here are carefully examining certain documents that point towards a major swindle.

The accessed documents pertain to medical equipment which were never purchased but billed to the hospital authorities over a period of time.

Sources aware of the development said that the Central agency also got specific clues that all these forged bills were in the names of entities either owned by Biplab Sinha or Suman Hazra, both being regular suppliers of various items to R.G. Kar and both being close to the former and controversial Principal of the medical college, Sandip Ghosh.

Both Sinha and Hazra are currently in CBI custody along with Ghosh.

Sources said that the investigating officials have also come across instances where existing costly medical accessories were “repaired” but shown as “newly purchased” and in that process, the fund allotted to the hospital from the state government was misused.

As the investigating officials are going deeper in their probe, a clear picture of a major racket involving health department officials, R.G. Kar staff and vendors behind this orchestrated forgery is emerging where Ghosh played the main role.

The role of the health department officials superior to Ghosh is coming to light, since despite such instances of financial irregularities brought to the notice of the department by whistleblower and former deputy superintendent of R.G Kar Akhtar Ali, the latter’s early warnings were ignored.

In fact, on the basis of Ali’s petition, a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court ordered the CBI to take over the charge of investigation in the financial irregularities case. Although Ghosh challenged the decision of Calcutta High Court at Supreme Court, the latter too turned down the plea.

Sources added that while CBI is investigating these angles of financial forgery, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has started a parallel investigation in the matter after filing an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), are probing the angle of disproportionate assets to income of different persons allegedly involved in the matter, including Ghosh.

On Friday, the ED officials conducted marathon raids and search operations at multiple places including the residence of Ghosh and his relatives in this connection.