Full Breakdown
Supreme Court Grants Bail to Former RG Kar Principal Amidst CBI Investigation Criticism
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Development
The Supreme Court granted bail to Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in a case involving alleged financial irregularities and manipulation of merit scores. Ghosh, arrested after the August 9 2024 rape-and-murder of a junior doctor, had been in custody for more than two years. The court noted that only seven of the 147 witnesses listed by the CBI had been examined.
Background & Context
The doctor’s murder sparked protests and a nationwide outcry over alleged institutional cover-up. The CBI opened an investigation and, on August 24 2024, named Ghosh in a charge sheet that includes criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, cheating, forgery and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. A separate bail was granted in the rape-murder case in December 2024 after the CBI missed the statutory 90-day filing deadline, but Ghosh remained detained for the financial-irregularities case.
Timeline
- August 9 2024 – Doctor is raped and murdered at RG Kar.
- August 24 2024 – CBI files charge sheet against Sandip Ghosh.
- September 2024 – Ghosh is arrested amid protests.
- January 7 2025 – Trial court rejects bail; he petitions the Supreme Court.
- February 23 2026 – Calcutta High Court dismisses bail plea.
- May 18 2026 – West Bengal government sanctions prosecution in the corruption case.
Data & Statistics
- Witnesses listed: 147 (CBI).
- Witnesses examined: 7 (as of the Supreme Court’s order).
- Charges: Sections 120B, 409, 420, 468, 471 of the IPC and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
- Custody duration: Over two years at the time of bail.
Official Statements & Responses
- Dr Utpal Bandyopadhyay, activist – Described the bail order as “deep disappointment, anguish and anger.”
- Dr Aniket Mahato, movement leader – Noted the limited witness examination and warned that prolonged proceedings weakened the case.
- Samik Bhattacharya, West Bengal BJP president – Stated that bail does not establish innocence.
- Md Zohaib Rauf, Ghosh’s lawyer – “There are no pending cases against him in which there is an order for custody. ED is also probing the case, but he has not been arrested in that case.”
Criticism & Opposition
Doctors and activists argue that the CBI’s slow progress undermines confidence in the investigation. They cite the limited witness examination and the failure to file a timely charge sheet in the rape-murder case as evidence of systemic lapses. The victim’s family urges accountability for these “shortcomings.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The CBI filed its charge sheet on August 24 2024 but did not file a charge sheet for the rape-murder case within the mandatory 90-day window, leading to a Sealdah court bail in December 2024. Sources differ on whether the delay was procedural or intentional, and no definitive explanation has been provided.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There are no pending cases against him in which there is an order for custody. ED is also probing the case, but he has not been arrested in that case.” — Md Zohaib Rauf, lawyer
What’s Next
The Supreme Court’s order leaves bail conditions to the trial court, which will set the terms for Ghosh’s release. The CBI’s investigation continues, with remaining witnesses yet to be examined and the trial slated for a fast-track court as demanded by activists.