RG Kar Row Deepens as Bengal Govt Clears ED Case Against Sandip Ghosh

The West Bengal government has finally granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sanction to prosecute former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh in connection with alleged financial irregularities and money laundering, a development that many student doctors and healthcare activists see as a crucial step toward accountability in one of the state’s most controversial medical institution cases.

The decision comes months after widespread outrage among junior doctors, medical students, and civil society groups following allegations of corruption and administrative misconduct linked to the functioning of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Protest movements led by student doctors had repeatedly accused authorities of delaying investigations and shielding influential figures within the healthcare system.

According to the official order issued by the West Bengal government on Monday, the sanction clears the legal path for the ED to proceed with prosecution against Ghosh under provisions related to money laundering and financial misconduct. The central agency has been probing alleged irregularities involving hospital funds, procurement processes, and administrative decisions during his tenure as principal.

Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari welcomed the move and sharply criticised the earlier handling of the matter by the ruling dispensation. Reacting to the development, Adhikari alleged that the investigation had been “forcibly and unethically stalled” for a prolonged period under the previous administrative approach. He further stated that “no one is above the law” and asserted that truth could not remain suppressed indefinitely.

The case has remained politically sensitive because it unfolded amid heightened public scrutiny of Bengal’s healthcare infrastructure and governance. Student doctors, who had organised demonstrations demanding transparency and justice, argued that the issue extended beyond an individual official and exposed deeper systemic concerns within public medical institutions.

The ED investigation reportedly focuses on suspected financial misconduct and possible laundering of illegally acquired funds. With the state government now granting sanction for prosecution, legal proceedings are expected to intensify in the coming weeks.

For many young doctors and medical students, the development is being viewed as a test of institutional accountability in India’s public healthcare education system. Several student groups have maintained that restoring trust in government-run hospitals and medical colleges requires transparent investigations, timely action, and protection for whistleblowers who raise concerns about corruption and administrative abuse.