Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Live Updates: In criminal nexus with co-accused, ex-principal of RG Kar hospital caused wrongful loss to Govt, says CBI

The CBI, which is probing the rape and murder of a junior doctor and alleged financial irregularities at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, told a special court that its investigation showed that Sandip Ghosh, principal of the college at the time of the rape-and-murder incident on August 9, had a “criminal nexus” with “other co-accused” for “wrongful gain”. The CBI said: “Evidences collected during investigation conducted so far have revealed that Dr Sandip Ghosh, in criminal nexus with other co-accused persons, by way of illegal means, caused wrongful loss to the Government and corresponding wrongful gain to himself and other accused persons.”

Here's what SC said on Sandip Ghosh's plea

A three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud said he had “no locus standi at this stage” and that “no fetters can be put on investigation”.

Appearing for Ghosh, Senior Advocate Meenakshi Arora took exception to the high court order saying “in light of the apparent nexus” to indicate the possible link between the alleged financial irregularities and the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the institution on August 9. “This is a huge miscarriage against me,” she told the bench also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

Arora said that two identical petitions were dismissed earlier. The Supreme Court, however, did not agree. “It cannot be disputed that you were the principal of the college at the time when the alleged offence took place….Therefore as an accused, you have no locus to intervene in a PIL where the high court is monitoring the investigation or has transferred the investigation to the CBI,” the CJI said.

“I am saying please investigate. But linking the present investigation which is purely on a financial irregularity with the nexus as the HC uses the word with that of the rape, that is not right,” Arora said.

“I did not want to say that. But that itself is a matter of investigation,” the CJI said. “Yes, both aspects,” added Justice Pardiwala.

The Supreme Court has quashed the plea by Sandip G, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital challenging Calcutta HC order transferring the investigation into the alleged financial irregularities institute during his tenure to the CBI. The top court said says ex-principal Sandip Ghosh of Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital does not have locus to be impleaded as party. Opposition parties in West Bengal have alleged a “nexus” between Ghosh, TMC leaders and government officials.

It’s become almost like clockwork — every few months, the nation wakes up to the news of another rape. Statistics show that a woman is raped in India every four hours — that is 90 women a day — from just the rapes that are reported. A simple Google search shows that one of the top suggestions related to rape in India is “rape without a medical”. It is a telling indication of how many women are struggling with the legality of the issue, that women who have been raped are trying to find a situation where they do not have to undergo a medical examination either because of societal pressure or due to their own perceived (and extremely misplaced) idea of shame.

At this point, we are all tired of chanting slogans like “matri devo bhava”. No woman is not treated as a god, she is treated worse than a pest. We are enablers in a society where women are seen as objects to satisfy the needs of a man, at home or outside. We are not seen as individuals. It is telling that rapes are one of the first war crimes committed when a political territory is occupied and is used as a means to induce terror. Click here to read full opinion piece by Pinky Anand

Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers conducted simultaneous search operations at the residences of Sandip Gosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and his three aids in relation with the alleged financial irregularities at the institute on Friday. All four are already in CBI custody and the searches were carried out at Ghosh’s residence in Beliaghata and at two locations in Howrah and Subhasgram. The central agency has filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Ghosh, similar to a First Information Report (FIR) in criminal cases, PTI reported.