The West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) on Thursday officially cancelled the medical registration of Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) on Thursday officially cancelled the registration of Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College, according to an official statement. Ghosh, who is currently in CBI custody over his involvement in the rape-murder case of a woman doctor at the hospital, has been removed from the WBMC's list of Registered Medical Practitioners as of September 19. His medical license was cancelled under several provisions of the Bengal Medical Act, 1914.
Dr. Ghosh was arrested by the CBI on September 2 for alleged financial mismanagement during his tenure at RG Kar Hospital. The WBMC, which had issued a notice on September 7 demanding an explanation for why his medical registration should not be revoked, did not receive a response from Ghosh, leading to the council's decision.
Adding pressure to the situation, the Bengal chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had written to the WBMC on Tuesday, urging it to take immediate action against Ghosh. The letter, signed by IMA Bengal President Dilip Kumar and former national president Santanu Sen, questioned why his medical registration had not yet been cancelled despite his arrest and the severity of the charges.
The IMA letter, addressed to WBMC president and TMC MLA Sudipto Roy, also urged him to "set aside any personal relationship" with Dr. Ghosh and take swift action. This move came as Ghosh remained in CBI custody, linked not only to financial irregularities but also to the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Hospital in August, which sparked widespread outrage and nationwide protests.
Meanwhile, newly-appointed Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma visited RG Kar Medical College on Thursday, where the tragic incident occurred. His visit followed a reshuffling of police officers involved in the case, including the arrest of Tala Police Station's former officer-in-charge, Abhijit Mondal, for allegedly tampering with evidence during the initial investigation. Commissioner Verma's visit signals a tightening of security and law enforcement measures at the hospital, which remains at the center of protests by junior doctors demanding justice for their colleague.