Sandip Ghosh, former principal of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, procured bail from the Supreme Court on Thursday in connection with an alleged financial irregularities case, following which, people seeking justice for the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata have turned up the heat on Saturday. The victim’s father has questioned the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) handling of the case, insisting that the agency must be held accountable for its actions.

Addressing the media on Saturday, the victim’s father expressed concern over the agency’s probe, questioning how public confidence in the country’s premier investigative agency could be maintained if serious shortcomings persisted.

He asked, “If an agency trusted by 147 crore people has such shortcomings, how can people continue to repose faith in it?”

He, however, maintained that the government could not be held directly responsible for the development, pointing out that the CBI was an independent probe agency.

SC’s bail order sparks outrage

Notably, the apex court granted bail to Ghosh on Thursday in connection with alleged financial irregularities at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. He had been arrested amid widespread protests following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor on the institute premises on August 9, 2024, a crime which triggered nationwide outrage and demands for accountability.

Ghosh had knocked on the SC’s doors after a special CBI court junked his bail pleas and the Calcutta High Court (HC) dismissed his petition.

The doctors and activists, who are continuing to demand justice for the victim, have again expressed concerns following the development. Some of them have even questioned the pace and the efficacy of the probe into alleged corruption at the institution.

Doctors hit up CBI for answers

Dr Utpal Bandopadhyay, associated with the movement seeking justice for the victim, called the bail order ‘a deeply disappointing development’ which had left the ones pursuing the case with anguish and anger.

He called on the CBI to publicly explain the delay in the proceedings and pleaded with the authorities to ensure that the trial was completed swiftly by means of a fast-track court.

Continuing his assertion, he also demanded prompt action against all the people allegedly involved in the crime, along with the persons accused of creating an atmosphere of corruption and intimidation within the state’s health department.

Another prominent figure of the movement, Dr Aniket Mahato, also expressed distress over the development. In an interaction with the media outlet ABP Ananda, he alleged serious cracks in the CBI’s probe into the financial irregularities case. As per Mahato’s claims, although the agency had listed 147 people as witnesses, only 7 had been examined over the preceding two years. He alleged that the prolonged proceedings had dented the case.

Why Ghosh remained in custody?

Ghosh had earlier secured bail in the rape-and-murder case from the Sealdah court in December 2024. Relief came for him after the CBI failed to file a chargesheet within the mandatory 90-day period.

However, he remained in custody in the separate financial irregularities case.