Sandip Ghosh's Judicial Custody Extended Till September 25

Kolkata: The judicial custody of Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has been extended till September 25. Ghosh was arrested by the CBI on September 2 for his alleged involvement in the financial irregularities at the hospital amid the protests over the rape and murder of the on-duty trainee doctor. He was later accused of evidence tampering in the rape-murder case.

Earlier on Thursday,  the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) cancelled the registration of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital's former principal Sandip Ghosh.  He has been removed from the list of registered medical practitioners maintained by the WBMC. His licence was cancelled under various provisions of the Bengal Medical Act of 1914, an official said. He is an orthopaedic surgeon and without the licence, he cannot practice. 

Aniket Mahato, one of the leading faces of the junior doctors who have been agitating over the death of their colleague, described it as a "victory". "This is a victory for our deceased sister. The cancellation of Ghosh's medical registration should have been done the very next day of his arrest. We are happy that the West Bengal Medical Council has finally taken this step," he said.

The West Bengal Doctors' Forum (WBDF), however, described the decision to cancel Ghosh's medical licence as an "eyewash" and an "attempt to save him".

"Registration of Sandip Ghosh has been cancelled as per rules 25 a (2) of the Bengal Medical Act 1914. As per these rules, two-thirds of the council members must vote in favour of the decision to cancel the registration of any medical practitioner. In the case of Ghosh, no such meeting was conducted. Also, at present, a quorum is not possible due to the resignation of a few members and the death of one member. So this order is legally not tenable and just an eye wash," Dr Rajiv Pandey of the WBDF told PTI.

Claiming that the registrar of the council cancelled the licence on verbal communication of WBMC president Sudipta Roy, Pandey said it "was not acceptable". Ghosh was appointed the principal of the RG Kar Medical College in February 2021. Amid the protests, he resigned from the post. The notice regarding the cancellation of Ghosh's registration was sent to his Beliaghata and New Town residences.