Calcutta High Court Declines Plea Seeking Extension Of Time For Trial Against Ex-RG Kar Principal Sandip Ghosh

The Calcutta High Court has declined to recall its order which denied a prayer by Ex-RG Kar College and Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh seeking an extension of time for the trial against him on charges of corruption and mismanagement.

Earlier, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh had dismissed the prayer on the ground that Ghosh had been delaying the trial and had directed the special CBI court to proceed expediently against Ghosh.

At today's hearing, the court stated that it could not entertain the recalling application since the trial had proceeded substantially since the earlier order. It was stated that while Ghosh had cited the voluminous documents present by the CBI for being unable to effectively defend himself, the court was mindful of the delay in the trial which had already been caused. 

Accordingly, the court held that the precedents relied upon by the petitioner would not be enough for the court to exercise its powers under Article 226. Ghosh's lawyers have stated that they would appeal the verdict before a division bench.

Background

Sandip Ghosh had been probed by the CBI since the High Court had transferred the probe to it from the SIT constituted by the State government. These proceedings emanated from a complaint by former medical superintendent Akhtar Ali who had accused Ghosh of corruption and mismanagement. 

Notably, Sandip Ghosh was also questioned in the larger conspiracy case around the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar medical college.

Last month sole-accused Sanjoy Roy was sentenced to life imprisonment over his involvement in the rape and murder case.

Case: AKHTAR ALI VS STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ORS.

Case No: WPA/21396/2024 

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