'Marks Manipulation, Appointing Candidates Of Choice': How Ex-RG Kar Principal Rigged House Staff Selections

CBI has told a special court that former principal at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh used to rig process for house staff selection at hospital to mint money.

Former RG Kar principal, Sandip Ghosh rigged house staff selection process, said CBI.

Source : PTI

Former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh and his cronies devised various methods to mint money which included rigging the process for selection of hospital's house staff. The Central Bureau of Investigation said it suspected Ghosh "surpassed the process and straightaway appointed house staff of his choice without adopting transparent methods. 

In a submission to a special CBI court, the agency said Ghosh introduced a system of "interviews". He used to prepare a list of house staff and leave out many meritorious students out of that list, reported The Times of India. 

The officers said they have reason to believe that scores of such "fictitious interviews" were added to the MBBS marks of the candidates picked against payments to Ghosh's cronies. Only final marks were mentioned in the appointment orders. 

As per the report, doctors at the hospital said they were not aware of any panel for house staff selection. 

CBI, which is probing the financial irregularities at the hospital is now digging into recruitments for 2022 and 2023. 

The corruption was deep-rooted and spread to other areas including "collusive bidding" and "bid rigging" in tenders for hospital equipment and services. 

Investigators have come across fake companies owned by Ghosh's associate Biplav Singha who was also arrested along with Ghosh. The fake companies took part in the tenders to help Singha's firm Maa Tara Traders bag the contracts. The CBI sleuths have unearthed two more companies, M/s Baba Loknath and Tiasha Enterprises run by Singha. 

The two companies were being run through Singha's "family members, staff and friends" and participated in the tender process at RG Kar. 

Ghosh's arrested guard Afsar Ali bagging a hospital canteen contract for Ehsan Cafe is also under the scanner of the CBI. Ehsan Cafe is owned by Ali's wife Nargis and it has been alleged that Ghosh gave the canteen deal in a "pre-determined manner".