The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday suspended the membership of former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh. Prior to his suspension, Ghosh was also the vice president of the association's Kolkata branch. The decision to suspend him was taken by a disciplinary committee amid a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-run Kolkata-based medical institute on August 9.
In the suspension order, the Indian Medical Association stated the disciplinary committee constituted by IMA National President Dr R V Asokan on August 28 suo-motu considered RG Kar rape and murder case of the postgraduate resident doctor and the subsequent developments at the medical institution. The IMA general secretary along with President Asokan had also visited the victim's parents at their home, it said.
"They had put up their grievances against you (Ghosh) in dealing with the situation as well as lack of empathy and sensitivity in handling the issue in appropriate manner befitting the responsibility held by you in your dealings with them," the order said.
"The IMA Bengal state branch as well as certain associations' of doctors also have demanded action citing the nature of disrepute brought by you to the profession on the whole," it added.
The order stated that the decision to suspend Ghosh was taken unanimously by IMA's disciplinary committee. It has "decided to suspend you forthwith from the membership of Indian Medical Association," the suspension order read.
This comes as the CBI named Ghosh in the FIR filed in connection with the agency's investigation into the alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital during his tenure. Ghosh has been slapped by charges under Section 120B of IPC (criminal conspiracy) read with Section 420 IPC (cheating and dishonesty) and Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018) which pertains to unlawful acceptance of gratification by a public servant, PTI reported.
The FIR was lodged on the basis of a written complaint filed by Debal Kumar Ghosh, special secretary to the West Bengal health department. It was lodged on Saturday, August 24, after CBI took over the probe from a state-constituted SIT on Calcutta High Court's orders.
The central probe agency even conducted a day-long search operation at Ghosh's Kolkata residence in connection with the corruption cases. He was also examined by the CBI for 10 days at a stretch. A polygraph test was also conducted on him on Monday in connection with the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder investigation.