Page 3 - Kolkata Medical College

RG Kar impasse: Agitating medics to attend meeting at CM Mamata's residence

The agitating doctors on Saturday evening confirmed they will attend a meeting at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence to resolve the RG Kar hospital impasse. Responding to the mail by West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, the agitating doctors said they would attend the meeting and place their demands before the chief minister. We would attend the meeting with our representatives. We will place our five demands. We are going to the discussions with an open mind, but no one should be under the illusion that we will compromise on our demands, an agitating doctor said. The West Bengal government invited agitating junior doctors to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence at 6 pm on Saturday. In an email, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant emphasised that 15 representatives of the junior doctors were invited to the meeting. The development took place hours after the chief minister paid a surprise visit to them at their site of the demonstration outside 'Swasthya Bhavan'

RG Kar protest: Medics send mail to govt, wish to hold talks with CM

Agitating junior doctors on Saturday sent a mail to the West Bengal government expressing their wish to hold talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to resolve the RG Kar impasse. The mail was sent hours after the chief minister paid a surprise visit to them at their site of the demonstration outside 'Swasthya Bhavan', the health department headquarters. "We are willing to hold a meeting with the chief minister anywhere and anytime to resolve the impasse. We welcome her visit to us this afternoon. This is a very positive move. We have sent a mail to the state government," one of the agitating doctors said. He, however, did not clarify whether they are still sticking to their earlier demand for "live streaming " the entire meeting. But, he said, "We want transparency.

WB people offer food to medics, thousands treated free at 'Abhaya' clinic

Forty-year-old Arpan Maity, a practising physician and an alumnus of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, was busy collecting food items, clothes, raincoats, umbrellas and other materials at a makeshift counter near the state health department headquarters where thousands of medics have been staging a sit-in for the last five days. From cots, bed sheets and raincoats to large umbrellas and food packets, the agitators are flooded with items from common people, Maity told PTI at the agitation site. "Till 2 pm on Saturday, 3,000 food packets have been served for free to people, not only to the protestors but also to local hawkers, rickshaw-pullers, autorickshaw drivers, journalists and other those who have come to the site to express solidarity with the movement," he said. Prajakta Sikdar, another volunteer who is dividing her time between raising slogans and manning one of the four counters at the protest site, said that till 1.30 pm on Saturday, she had distributed around 600 ...

'You will face same fate as RG Kar medic': Patient's son warns Kolkata doc

The son of a patient admitted to a private medical establishment in Kolkata allegedly threatened a doctor there that she would end up with the same fate as the medic of the RG Kar hospital, police said on Thursday. The police started an investigation following a complaint was lodged in this regard. An on-duty junior doctor of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was raped and murdered inside the facility on August 9. A 58-year-old female patient was admitted to the private hospital on Monday with complaints of shortness of breath and altered mental status, a term used to describe various disorders of mental functioning. "The patient's son and his friends have been abusing the hospital staff. They even threatened a doctor inside the ICU last night that her condition would be like that of the RG Kar hospital doctor," an official of the private facility said. The hospital is exercising restraint considering the critical condition of the patient, he said.

Doctors blame WB govt after talks fail, say never sought CM's resignation

The agitating junior doctors on Thursday blamed the West Bengal administration for its rigidness in not allowing live streaming of the meeting to resolve the RG Kar stalemate and asserted that they never sought the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as offered by her. Dubbing Banerjee's remarks blaming the medics for the impasse as unfortunate, the doctors said their 'cease work' and agitation would continue until their demands are met. The chief minister's remarks are unfortunate. We wanted the talks to take place. However, the state administration was adamant about not allowing live streaming of the meeting. Our demands are justified. We wanted live streaming for the transparency of the meeting, one of the agitating doctors told reporters. The agitators refused to hold talks with the West Bengal government unless their demand for live streaming of the meeting was met. The talks were scheduled for 5 pm in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as demanded by t

Ready to resign for sake of people, says Mamata amid stand-off with doctors

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday offered to resign "for the sake of people" and said she also want justice for the murdered RG Kar hospital doctor. "I apologise to the people of Bengal who expected an end to the RG Kar impasse today. They (junior doctors) came to Nabanna but did not sit for the meeting. I request them to go back to work," Banerjee told a press conference. "I am ready to resign for the sake of the people as, despite my best intentions and efforts in the last three days, the medics declined to hold talks," the chief minister said.

RG Kar case: 30-member team of junior docs to attend meeting with CM Mamata

Welcoming the Bengal government's positive response to hold talks in presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to resolve the RG Kar hospital impasse, agitating junior doctors Thursday announced their decision to attend the proposed meeting at the state secretariat within the stipulated time of 5 pm. The medics, however, declared that they would stick to their original demand of taking part in the meeting with 30 members instead of 15 people as mandated by the state government. The protesters also stated they would not settle for anything less than a live stream of the talks, which had earlier been rejected by the state chief secretary in its latest invitation for the meeting. We welcome the chief secretary's invitation and confirmation that the CM would be present at the meeting. We will attend the meeting with an open mind, but it has to be centred around the issue of providing justice to our colleague and ensuring security for doctors across the state, a protesting doctor ...

RG Kar doctor rape-murder: CBI questions TMC MLA Sudipto Roy at residence

CBI sleuths on Thursday questioned Trinamool Congress MLA Sudipto Roy in connection with the RG Kar rape and murder case. A team of CBI officials on Friday afternoon reached the residence of Roy, who is also a doctor, in Sinthee area on the northern fringes of Kolkata and questioned him in connection with their investigation into the case. Roy, who is president of the RG Kar Patient's Welfare Committee, said he has cooperated with sleuths of the central agency. "CBI sleuths had come to question me regarding the investigation into the death of a student at RG Kar hospital last month. I cooperated with them," Roy, who is MLA of Serampore assembly constituency, said. Protests of doctors began after the body of a postgraduate trainee was found at the hospital on August 9. A civic volunteer has been arrested in connection with the case, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting a probe following a Calcutta High Court order. The CBI had last week arrested former princ

Jr doctors in WB continue 'cease work', sit-in over medic's rape-murder

Junior doctors on Thursday continued their sit-in outside the West Bengal Health Department's office as well as their 'cease work' over the alleged rape and murder of a young medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The agitating doctors have been demonstrating outside Swathya Bhavan', the state health department headquarters, for over 40 hours. The government had Wednesday rejected their demands for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's presence and a live broadcast as preconditions for talks to resolve the impasse. A large number of police personnel have been deployed in and around Swathya Bhavan' at Salt Lake, and traffic movement was regulated. "We will continue our agitation and cease work'. But, we did not want to continue this. The state government is not open to holding any meeting with us. And, we want to make it clear that there is no politics behind our stir," one of the protesting doctors told PTI. Meanwhile, healthcare services at state-run hospitals remained crippled

RG Kar protest: Doctors demand live broadcast, CM's presence in meet

The West Bengal government has invited the junior doctors, who have been on a cease work for over a month, to a meeting to resolve the standoff over the alleged rape-murder of a woman medic, with the doctors insisting that the discussion be held in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's presence and broadcast live. The government's invitation, sent via email at 3:49 am on Wednesday, proposed a discussion at the state secretariat, Nabanna, at 6 pm the same day. Chief Secretary Manoj Pant urged the doctors to send a delegation of 12 to 15 members to the meeting and indicated that a positive response would be appreciated. The invitation did not confirm whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would be present. Pant's letter also addressed the doctors' defiance of a Supreme Court order to resume duties by 5 pm on Tuesday. "You will, no doubt, appreciate and agree that as a law-abiding citizen, it is everyone's bounden duty to adhere to these directions. Unfortunately, it has not been adhered

Sandip Ghosh's wife purchased properties without approval from WB govt: ED

The Enforcement Directorate Tuesday claimed that the wife of Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, purchased two immovable assets without "proper approval" from West Bengal government authorities. The federal agency alleged in a statement that it has "found" documents related to about half-a-dozen houses, flats and a farmhouse owned by the doctor couple during searches conducted against them and their "close relatives" on September 6 at seven locations in Kolkata. Sandip Ghosh has been booked by the ED in an alleged financial irregularities linked money laundering case after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR. The ex-principal came under the scanner following the rape and murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor at the hospital on August 9. The ED said his wife, Dr Sangeeta Ghosh, purchased two immovable properties "without any proper approval from the state government authorities". "Interestingly, a post facto approval was gran

Court sends RG Kar's ex-principal Ghosh to judicial custody till Sep 23

Former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh was on Tuesday sent to judicial custody till September 23 by a special CBI court in the financial irregularities case. The court also sent his security personnel Afsar Ali and two alleged associates, contractors Vendors Biplab Sinha and Suman Hazra, to judicial custody till September 23. The CBI told the court that it would seek their custody again if required. Ghosh was arrested by the CBI on charges of financial irregularities on September 2 amid protests over the rape and murder of the doctor at the RG Kar MCH. On September 3, the court had sent him to eight days in CBI custody.

Construction work at RG Kar hospital not to shield anyone: CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday rejected claims that the construction work near the seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital here was intended to tamper with evidence. She clarified that the work was for building retiring rooms and washrooms for doctors, not for obstructing the rape-murder probe of the woman medic. Banerjee emphasised that the absence of a retiring room had forced the deceased woman medic to rest in the seminar hall. "There was no intention other than to build a retiring room there. Because there was no such room, the woman doctor had to go to the seminar hall to rest. We decided to build the retiring room-cum-washroom so that doctors do not have to rest in the seminar hall," she said. "There are talks that evidence was tampered with to protect someone... But whom and why should we do that? Remember, nobody is our friend or foe. Law will take its course," she added. Addressing the issue at the state secretariat, Banerjee asserted, .

Conspiracy by Centre, left parties behind RG Kar protests: CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that the Centre was conspiring over public outcry involving the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at a state-run hospital last month. She also claimed that some Left parties were involved in it. Speaking at an administrative review meeting at the state secretariat- Nabanna, Banerjee also claimed she had never offered money to the deceased doctor's parents, dismissing a campaign that the family members of the postgraduate trainee were offered money. Banerjee urged people to "return to festivities" as Durga puja is round the corner. "I have never offered money to the deceased doctor's family, this is nothing but slander. I have told the parents that if they wanted to do something in their daughter's memory, our government is with them. I know when to speak what," Banerjee said. "This (protest following RG Kar incident) is definitely a conspiracy by the Centre and some Left parties are also involved in it. Some people are

Bengal medical council issues show cause notice to ex-RG Kar principal

The West Bengal Medical Council on Saturday issued a show cause notice to arrested ex-RG Kar hospital principal Sandip Ghosh over his alleged involvement in financial irregularities at the health facility, an official said. The 'show-cause notice' to Ghosh is a step before the council takes any decision on cancelling his medical registration, he said. Dr Ghosh has been served with a show cause notice. We have given him a three-day time to reply to the same," the official told PTI. Ghosh has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The allegations of financial irregularities at the hospital came to light after the body of a woman doctor was recovered from there on August 9. The postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty in the health facility. The incident triggered a nationwide protest. Three other doctors have also been asked to refrain from a

Ex-RG Kar hospital principal had criminal nexus with co-accused: CBI

Arrested former principal of RG Kar hospital Sandip Ghosh has been operating a "criminal nexus along with the other "co-accused for wrongful gains, according to initial findings of the CBI's probe into financial irregularities at the medical establishment here, an officer claimed on Saturday. The central probe agency had also placed the findings before a special court here during a hearing earlier in the week, he said. The CBI had arrested Ghosh, two vendors, and his security person for their alleged involvement in financial irregularities at the state-run hospital, where the rape-murder of a young doctor has triggered nationwide protests. "These (two) vendors were known to Ghosh since he was with the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital. We have found that they granted the contracts of RGKMC&H (RG Kar Medical College and Hospital) only because of their proximity with Ghosh," the officer said. Ghosh was posted at the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital for two years from .

Bengal govt suspends ex-RG Kar Hospital principal after CBI arrest

The West Bengal health department suspended former principal of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh on Tuesday, a day after the CBI arrested him for alleged financial misconduct. Ghosh was suspended 26 days after the body of an on-duty woman medic, who was allegedly raped and murdered, was found inside the seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar Hospital on August 9. "In view of the ongoing criminal investigation against Prof (Dr) Sandip Ghosh, ex-principal, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, he is placed under suspension... with immediate effect," an order said. The Calcutta High Court on August 23 ordered the transfer of a probe into the alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Hospital from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The direction came in response to a petition by former deputy superintendent of the facility, Dr Akhtar Ali, who prayed for a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into ...

Kolkata medic rape-murder: People form 13 km long human chain as protest

Demanding justice for the deceased woman medic of R G Kar Hospital, thousands of people, including doctors and paramedics of private facilities, formed a 13-km human chain along an arterial city road on Tuesday, an unprecedented event in the city's history in recent years. Participants of the human chain standing on the median divider of Eastern Metropolitan Bypass between Ultadanga and Patuli - linking the northern and southern parts of the city. Since the protestors did not obstruct crossings during their one-hour stay on the road from 5 pm, this mode of agitation did not affect vehicular traffic movement along the busy road as hundreds of vehicles plied uninterrupted, a police officer said. The participants waved the tricolour and held placards which read 'For how long we have to wait for justice', 'Hang the rapists' and 'Justice for our sister'. People from all walks of life, office goers and commuters, besides people from neighbourhood pockets along the route, took part in th

After 24 hours, Kolkata police allows protesting junior doctors to proceed

The doctors, who were joined by several common people as well as students from other educational institutions, spent the entire Monday night on BB Ganguly street

Kolkata rape-murder: "BJP workers to go to DM's office and give deputation"

BJP workers had clashed with police as they 'gheraoed' District Magistrate's (DMs) office in Cooch Behar