As the voices against the Kolkata rape and murder case gain strength, one of the people under the radar is the former college Principal, Dr Sandip Ghosh, who got a new appointment, just hours after his resignation from the RG Kar medical college in the city.
The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday slammed the Mamata Banerjee Government for the quick reinstatement of Dr Ghosh and asked him to go on an indefinite leave.
This is not the first time that Dr Ghosh has made headlines as the Principal of RG Kar. His tenure has been marred by several controversies in the past including transfer reversals.
Here’s a look at Dr Ghosh’s history and the trend of his transfers and transfer reversals to RG Kar:
FIRST APPOINTMENT IN FEBRUARY 2021
Dr Sandip Ghosh was initially the Vice Principal at Calcutta National Medical college, before he was transferred and appointed as the Principal of RG Kar, as per an order by Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal on February 9, 2021.
FIRST PROTEST UNDER HIS TERM
Months after his joining, RG Kar saw protests by over 350 students against the college authorities’ reluctance to form two separate councils for students and hostels respectively. The students had protested by holding a hunger strike outside Dr Ghosh’s office.
CONTROVERSY OVER DISSECTION PRACTICALS
As per reports dated January 2023, Dr Ghosh and RG Kar medical college found themselves in another controversy, where it was alleged that the bodies coming in for autopsy were being used for “dissection practicals” without any prior consent from the parents of the deceased, over which Dr Ghosh promised an internal enquiry.
FIRST TRANSFER FIASCO
On May 31, 2023, the Government of West Bengal issued an order replacing Dr Sandip Ghosh with one Dr Sanath Ghosh, to become the new Principal at RG Kar. However, reports state that Dr Sanath, couldn’t take charge of his new responsibility as he found the Principal cabin locked from outside, allegedly by Dr Sandip Ghosh. In over 24 hours, this transfer order was reversed and Dr Sandip Ghosh remained the principal.
SECOND TRANSFER AND ALLEGATIONS OF “THEATRICS”
On September 11, 2023, Dr Ghosh was once again issued orders of transfer to Murshidabad Medical College. He was to be replaced by Dr Manas Kumar Bandopadhyay, who, like Dr Sanath, had to face resistance, once he came to take charge. Reports state that once he reached RG Kar for his first day – his route to the Principal’s office was blocked by protesting students, who demanded Dr Ghosh’s return. Some doctors, back then, alleged that such protests were “engineered” by “certain lobbies”.
THIRD TRANSFER AND HIS RETURN TO RG KAR
Within a month of his transfer, there was another Government order passed on October 9, 2023, reinstating Dr Ghosh to RG Kar. The order stated: “The Governor is pleased to appoint Prof (Dr) Sandip Ghosh of the West Bengal Medical Education Service, now employed as Professor, Department of Orthopedics, Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, to act as Principal, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, with immediate effect and until further orders.”
His quick transfer/appointment to National Medical College, done four hours after his resignation – could have been the fourth such instance, of him securing quick transfers, had the Calcutta HC not intervened.
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