The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its probe into former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh, focusing on a multi-crore bungalow owned by Ghosh, following a series of raids conducted at multiple locations across Kolkata and its suburbs on Friday. The investigation is part of an ongoing inquiry into alleged financial misconduct during Ghosh’s tenure at the state-run hospital.
The ED raided nine locations linked to Ghosh, including his lavish bungalow in Madhya Narayanpur, Canning, and his residence in Beliaghata, Kolkata. The bungalow, named “Sangeeta Sandip Villa” after Ghosh and his wife Sangeeta, is located on a two-bigha plot and was reportedly frequented by the former principal and his family. According to local residents, the luxurious property was constructed three years ago and has since raised eyebrows, with investigators now scrutinizing the finances behind it.
The ED’s raids come in the wake of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arresting Ghosh and three of his associates on September 3 over financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College. On Friday, ED officials detained Prasun Chattopadhyay, a data entry operator at Calcutta National Medical College and an aide of Ghosh, during a raid on his residence in Subhasgram, South 24 Parganas. Chattopadhyay was subsequently taken to the Canning property for further investigation.
The investigation into Ghosh’s alleged financial misconduct gained momentum following the tragic rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College on August 9. The crime, which occurred during Ghosh’s tenure as principal, spurred both the CBI and ED to launch inquiries into various irregularities at the hospital.
The ED filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Ghosh, equivalent to a First Information Report (FIR) in criminal cases, leading to simultaneous raids across multiple locations. Among the sites targeted were Ghosh’s residence in Beliaghata, two apartments in Milan Palli near Kolkata’s airport, and the residences of his relatives and associates.
At the Beliaghata residence, the ED had to wait nearly three hours before gaining access to the property after Ghosh’s wife returned home to unlock the house. The raid also extended to apartments owned by Ghosh’s sister-in-law, Arpita Bera, and her husband, Pritin, both government doctors, in Milan Palli. ED officers were spotted leaving one of the apartments with a black trolley bag, heightening speculation about possible evidence.
In addition to the above properties, the ED raided the homes of Biplab Sinha, a medical equipment supplier, and Kaushik Koley, an accountant at Sinha’s firm, in Howrah. The officials also visited Ghosh’s in-laws’ house in Baidyabati, Hooghly, which was locked at the time of the raid.
Another location of interest was Crescent Manufacturing Private Ltd’s office on Camac Street in central Kolkata, which was also searched by ED teams. Further, the residence of Ankur Roy, a laundromat owner whose name surfaced during interrogations of the arrested suspects, was also raided.
The ED continues its investigation into the financial irregularities tied to Sandip Ghosh, with more searches expected as officials piece together the extent of the alleged misconduct during his tenure at RG Kar Medical College.
Sources By Agencies
