Kolkata: Bengal government plans to initiate departmental proceedings (DP) against former Director RG Kar Sandip Ghosh and a commission of inquiry are investigating financial irregularities. Earlier, the Health Ministry had filed an FIR against Ghosh for his alleged involvement in financial irregularities and corruption.
A Nabanna official said the state would launch the DP once it collects all the data and there is irrefutable evidence against Ghosh. “As a director, he benefited from a non-practising allowance. He was therefore not eligible to practice the profession of surgeon. The investigation will verify whether he had assets disproportionate to his sources of income known,” the official said.
State officials are also closely monitoring developments in the CBI investigation. Once CBI files a charge sheet against Ghosh, it will be easier for them to start the DP.
Once the charges are framed by the inquiry committee and the authority initiates the DP, the charges will be sent to Ghosh. An official said that when the accused gets a chance to appear before the committee, the panel could meet him in jail or he could be represented by a lawyer. “To submit his statement to the commission of inquiry, he must send it through the prison director,” the official said.
The investigation team is focusing on Ghosh’s asset declaration, service offerings and the years during which he acquired the properties and purchased cars. The income of his family members is also under surveillance.
“Ghosh’s salary and monthly savings would be scrutinized. The standard norm says that one is supposed to spend 30-40% of his salary on household and other expenses. If he got the permission from the department to purchase assets, its annual asset statements as well as with its bank statements would be verified Moreover, tenders conducted by Ghosh and audit reports would be scanned,” a source said.
But another official believed that once Ghosh was released on bail, he could appeal to the Health Ministry to revoke his suspension in order to be reinstated. “If he is exonerated in court, he will even be able to claim his full salary during his period in police custody.”