Sandip Ghosh, Abhijit Mondal granted bail in RG Kar rape and murder case, but to remain in jail

A court in Kolkata granted bail to Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and ex-police officer Abhijit Mondal on Friday in connection with the ongoing investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor. The Sealdah Court’s decision came after the CBI failed to file a chargesheet within the mandatory 90-day period.

The case first came to light when the body of the trainee doctor was discovered in the chest department auditorium of RG Kar Medical College on August 10. Investigations revealed that the doctor was allegedly raped and murdered by civic volunteer Sanjay Roy during the night of August 9-10. Ghosh was implicated for alleged delays in initiating a probe into the incident, further complicating the investigation.

In addition to the rape-murder case, Sandip Ghosh is also under scrutiny for alleged financial irregularities during his tenure as principal of the state-run hospital. A Calcutta High Court directive ordered investigations into alleged financial misconduct at RG Kar Medical College, including Ghosh's alleged involvement in facilitating hospital contracts for two cartels.

The CBI’s chargesheet, submitted earlier this month, accused Ghosh of aiding two cartels—one managed by Biplab Singha and Suman Hazra and the other by Afsar Ali Khan—in procuring hospital contracts through irregular means. However, the chargesheet remains in legal limbo as the West Bengal government has yet to provide the necessary sanction for prosecuting Ghosh and the other accused.

Amid mounting protests following the trainee doctor’s death, Ghosh resigned as principal on August 12. Despite this, he was controversially appointed as principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital shortly after, a decision that was later revoked following objections from the High Court. Ghosh’s tenure as RG Kar principal, spanning February 2021 to September 2023, has been mired in controversies, from alleged financial misconduct to administrative irregularities.

As the investigation continues, the delay in filing charges has raised questions about the efficiency of the probe and the state government’s role in providing prosecutorial sanction. While Ghosh and Mondal have been granted bail, the legal battle is far from over, with both the rape-murder and financial misconduct cases still under active investigation.