Kolkata: Protesting doctors of West Bengal government hospitals continued their cease work at outdoor patient departments for the 26th day on Tuesday even after RG Kar Hospital’s former principal Sandip Ghosh was arrested last evening by CBI’s anti-corruption unit for alleged financial irregularities.
The agitating doctors said Ghosh’s arrest did not fulfil their demand for justice for their murdered colleague and reiterated the need to identify and arrest those involved in the crime. They also sought safety at work place.
Sources said on Tuesday that three other accused arrested by the CBI are Ghosh’s security guard Afsar Ali Khan and two hospital vendors – Biplav Singha and Sumon Hazra.
The striking junior medics, who marched to Lalbazar demanding resignation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, have been on a sit-in at Pheare Lane since Monday afternoon, causing disruption of traffic in parts of Central and north Kolkata, official sources said.
The squatting medics are demanding the resignation of Kolkata Police top cop, accusing him of tampering with evidence of the murder scene of the 31-year-old lady medic on August 9 and subsequent vandalism and demolition at the RG Kar Hospital on August 14/15.
Anupam Chatterjee, a protesting doctor, said their sit-in would continue till the resignation of the police commissioner.
The medics have erected a make-shift tent at the site to protect themselves from the scorching sun and arranged drinking water.
The medics said they wanted to give a memorandum to Goyal and sought permission for their 20-member delegation to meet him at the police headquarters.
The protesting doctors also demanded the removal of pickets at Phearse Lane that were preventing them from crossings over to Bentinck Street and BB Ganguly Street, about 100 metres east of the police headquarters.
Sources said R G Kar Hospital’s former principal Ghosh was arrested on Monday evening by the CBI’s anti-corruption unit after interrogating him at Nizam Palace over alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Hospital since 2021.
The arrest was made following a Calcutta High Court order on August 23 after former superintendent Dr Akhtal Ali moved a petition demanding a probe by the Enforcement Directorate in the alleged financial scam.
The CBI is also probing the medic murder case since August 14 after the High Court transferred the case from Kolkata Police.
So far only one person, identified as Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer attached with Kolkata Police, has been arrested in the murder case.
The ruling Trinamool Congress legislators are expected to table on Tuesday a bill – Aparajita Mahila and Sishu (amendment) – in the state assembly to bring a stringent law to combat crime against women and children. The bill has a provision for capital punishment.
The Opposition BJP has issued a whip for its MLAs to be present on the floor of the Assembly.
