The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made significant progress investigating financial irregularities at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
New evidence suggests that Maa Tara Traders, a private company with alleged ties to the former principal of the hospital, Dr. Sandip Ghosh, has secured multiple questionable contracts at RG Kar and other state-run hospitals across West Bengal.
Dr. Ghosh, currently in judicial custody, is accused of facilitating contracts for medical equipment and infrastructure projects at RG Kar Medical College in favour of Maa Tara Traders, whose owner, Biplab Sinha, is a close associate of Ghosh. CBI investigators report that contracts awarded to Maa Tara Traders appear to follow a troubling pattern, with several deals granted despite an irregular bidding process and the company’s lack of prior experience in handling technical projects.
Sources indicate that Maa Tara Traders provided supplies and services to prominent hospitals such as Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, Howrah District Hospital, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, and SSKM Medical College and Hospital. One significant contract in question involved the setup of a skill laboratory at RG Kar, awarded to Maa Tara Traders without the necessary qualifications, raising further suspicions of procedural lapses and favouritism.
The CBI has formally informed a special court in Kolkata of these findings, underscoring the scale and reach of the alleged irregularities. Investigators are particularly concerned about inflated bids and non-transparent processes in awarding contracts, which they suggest may have been facilitated through undue influence exerted by Dr. Ghosh. As the investigation unfolds, the CBI aims to establish the extent of the network involved and ensure accountability for financial misconduct in West Bengal’s healthcare system.