The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out raids at half a dozen locations in Kolkata and Howrah including the residence of Dr Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Hospital, in connection with its money laundering probe into the alleged financial irregularities there, people familiar with the development said.
The agency’s action under prevention of money laundering act or PMLA has been initiated to ascertain financial dealings of Ghosh and his associates while running the hospital.
“Raids are going on at 6-7 locations in Kolkata and Howrah including Ghosh’s residence under PMLA,” said an officer.
Raids were also conducted on two premises at Sankrail in Howrah. While one residence belonged to Biplab Singha, a vendor of RG Kar Hospital, and another named Kaushik Kole, who is known to be a close associate of Singha.
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Around the same time, another ED team reached Subhashgram in South 24 Parganas to raid the residence of Prasun Chatterjee, who is also known to be close with Ghosh. Chatterjee works as a data entry hospital in a state-run hospital.
Ghosh and Singha were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday in connection with the probe into the allegations of financial irregularities in RG Kar Hospital during Ghosh’s tenure since 2021.
The federal financial crimes probe agency had launched a probe based on a CBI first information report (FIR) last week.
In its FIR registered on the directions of the Calcutta high court, the CBI has booked Ghosh and three Kolkata-based private entities — Ma Tara Traders of Madhya Jhorehat, Banipur, Howrah; Eshan Cafe of 4/1, Belgachia and Khama Louha under 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) and section 7 (offence relating to public servant being bribed) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
CBI has already arrested Ghosh earlier this week and is questioning him regarding the irregularities.
ED too is expected to take his custody soon.
Ghosh was removed from his post following an uproar over the rape and murder of a junior medic at the hospital on August 9.
Last Sunday, CBI also raided premises linked to Ghosh.former medical superintendent Sanjay Vashisth and 13 others in and around Kolkata in connection with its probe.
Ghosh has also undergone a polygraph test in connection with the rape and murder case, in which CBI filed a status report in the Supreme Court on Thursday.
