KOLKATA: Sandip Ghoshformer principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospitalas part of a “larger nexus” to be unearthed, the CBI – is investigating the allegations corruption and financial irregularities – to the special court there. He was sent to CBI custody for eight days, till September 10.
Even as 12 CBI officers and 25 CRPF personnel fought to protect him, Ghosh could not escape the public anger against him. He was assaulted twice: slapped in the courtroom for interrupting a female lawyer, and hit on the back of the head. by the protestors outside.
Ghosh was arrested in a corruption case on Monday. The other three – security guard Ghosh Afsar Ali Khan (44); Biplab Singha (52), owner of Maa Tara Traders, vendor RG Kar; and Suman Hazra (46), a medical shop owner in Howrah who allegedly sold recycled drugs from RG Kar Hospital – who were also arrested in a corruption case were also given CBI custody till September 10.
CBI counsel Rambabu Kanojia told the court that the four accused are all part of the nexus, and there are other people involved. “There is a larger nexus, which needs to be explored,” he said.
Around 3.30 pm, when Ghosh and others were brought out of the CBI’s anti-corruption branch office at Nizam’s Palace on AJC Bose Road, hundreds of people – employees of government offices at Nizam’s Palace and some private offices on Camac Street – gathered. outside, chanting slogans “Chor, chor” and “Justice for Tilottama”.
Upon reaching Alipore, a larger crowd of protesters awaited him, shouting slogans of “Sisters dhikkar (Shame! Shame!)” and volleys of abuse. The CBI team rushed into the courtroom and closed the main door leading to the courtroom on the first floor to prevent the protesters from coming out.
In the courtroom, a group of female lawyers started abusing him and even slapped him. When the other three entered, their faces covered, there was a loud furore on the part of the lawyers, who demanded that their faces be uncovered.
The court proceedings could start only at 16:05, about 15 minutes since the four defendants entered the courtroom, because the flow of abuse showed no signs of letting up, even when judge Sujit Kumar Jha hit the gavel, demanding “order”, all. when. At one point, the judge had to call Ghosh and others to a place near the dais to protect and calm the protesters.
CBI has booked four on charges of taking illegal gratification by govt servants (Section 7, Prevention of Corruption Act); Civil servants who commit criminal acts (Article 13 paragraph 2 of the Prevention of Corruption Law); cheating (Section 420 IPC); criminal breach of trust (Section 409 IPC); 120B (criminal conspiracy); and falsification of documents (Section 467 IPC), among others.
Kanojia demanded a 10-day CBI custody for the accused, saying the “ambition of the offense was huge” and the crime was “very serious”. “We need to gather more evidence. In addition, there may be other violations that may be committed during the investigation,” Kanojia said in court.
Ghosh’s lawyer Zohaib Rauf, who did not move the bail petition, sought a shorter remand, saying Ghosh had cooperated with the agency so far. “He had gone to the CBI office even on Monday, when he was arrested. He had been attending interrogations every day he was summoned. The court was asked to consider the period of custody,” Rauf told the court. The other three moved for bail, which the court denied.
When the accused were taken out of the court, the CBI sought their help. Ten other CRPF personnel joined the group and formed a cordon to protect them as they came out to enter the car. However, when they came out, a group of protesters started abusing Ghosh. One of them even managed to break through the cordon and hit Ghosh on the back of the head before he was pushed into the CBI car.
“The CBI has arrested him in a financial fraud case, but we want him to investigate and inquire about the rape and killing of doctors as well,” the protestors said. “He cannot absolve himself of responsibility for the crime. We want justice for the doctor and we want the CBI to continue to inquire and find all the other perpetrators.”
