Calcutta HC refuses urgent hearing for ex-R.G. Kar principal in registration cancellation case

In a recent ruling, a vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court rejected a plea by Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, seeking an expedited hearing on the cancellation of his medical registration. The West Bengal Medical Council had canceled Ghosh's registration in September following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with financial irregularities at the institution.

Justice Partha Sarathi Sen, who presided over the vacation bench, stated that the case did not warrant an emergency hearing during the festive break, when the regular operations of the court were suspended. The decision has added another layer of complexity to Ghosh's legal troubles.

Sandip Ghosh was initially arrested by the CBI for financial misconduct at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. As the investigation progressed, the CBI further charged him with tampering with evidence and misleading the investigation, which was previously being conducted by the Kolkata Police. In addition to Ghosh, Abhijit Mondal, the former Station House Officer (SHO) of Tala police station, was also arrested on similar charges, as the medical college falls under his jurisdiction.

On September 18, the West Bengal Medical Council officially revoked Ghosh's medical registration, with a formal notification being issued the following day. The council had issued a show-cause notice to Ghosh on September 7, requesting a response within three days. However, since Ghosh was in CBI custody at the time, he could not reply, leading to the inevitable cancellation of his registration.

The demand for Ghosh's registration cancellation had been growing within the medical community since his arrest in the financial irregularities case. His failure to respond to the council's notice while in custody has compounded the legal challenges he now faces.