CBI opposes Sandip Ghosh’s plea for liquidating FDs

Kolkata: Expressing apprehension in its report that the money might be linked to the alleged financial irregularities, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is learnt to have opposed the plea of Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, for liquidating his fixed deposits (FDs).

The matter was heard on Wednesday by a vacation bench of Justice Rai Chattopadhyay. The CBI placed its report during the hearing. Sources said, in its report the central probe agency is learnt to have expressed its apprehension since the fixed deposits are within the ambit of its investigation.

The CBI is learnt to have mentioned that the fixed deposits (four) were mostly made from 2021 to 2023. This is a period when, according to the central probe agency, the financial irregularities were at its peak. The agency believes that the liquidation of the deposits could affect the ongoing investigation.

The main charges against Ghosh in the alleged financial irregularities case are manipulating the tendering process to award a contract to a private agency against a hefty commission, getting infrastructure-related work at R.G. Kar done by private agencies bypassing the state Public Works Department, smuggling of bio-medical wastes from the hospital, and selling of organs of unidentified bodies coming at the hospital morgue for autopsy purposes.

The court took in its record the CBI report and directed that the matter be placed before the regular bench when the court reopens after the Puja vacation. It was directed that the copies of the report be served upon the State Bank of India where the fixed deposits were made.

In the previous hearing, Ghosh’s counsel submitted that the petitioner wants to liquidate the fixed deposits to meet the financial needs of the family.

The SBI had refused liquidation of the deposits unless Ghosh was present in person for signatures.