HC directs special court to consider materials for trial in CBI case

Kolkata: On being informed that state government has given sanction for prosecution of Sandip Ghosh, ex-principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the special court to consider the materials submitted by the CBI in the alleged financial irregularities case so a trial can start as soon as possible.

The bench of Justice Tirthnkar Ghosh was told by the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Ashok Kumar Chakraborty, representing the CBI, that the chargesheet was submitted in November 2024 and the probe has progressed to a reasonable extent. Further, the state has granted sanction for prosecution of Sandip Ghosh. It was submitted that substantial materials were collected by the investigating agency. CBI is also probing the angle of larger conspiracy.

The court observed that the report submitted by the ASG reflects that chargesheet was filed on November 29, 2024 under IPC provisions and Prevention of Corruption Act. In view of the chargesheet having been submitted almost two months before the special court, the court directed that police would take steps so trial can be commenced by directing the public prosecutor for CBI to assess whether materials collected prima facie makes out a case for framing of charges before the trial court.

The special court was directed to take steps for consideration of charges while taking into account the list of witnesses. It shall accordingly fix schedule so that trial can be started and taken to logical conclusion at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the counsel for Enforcement Directorate (ED) which is conducting a parallel probe submitted that an ECIR has been registered and probe is being carried out for tracing money trail of persons implicated in connection with the financial irregularity.

Alleging financial irregularities, a former deputy superintendent of RG Kar, Akhtar Ali had moved the High Court seeking ED probe into alleged financial irregularities by Sandip Ghosh, accusing the latter of operating a corrupt network within the hospital, earning large sums of money through various illegal activities. The court had transferred the probe to CBI from the SIT formed by the state government to investigate the matter.