Shreya Varanasi, Pune
Following a probe into charges of threat culture, money laundering, and ragging, the internal council of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital fired ten doctors. These medical professionals face various charges, including instilling a frightful atmosphere and harassment in the hospital.
Among those expelled are doctors, house staff, and interns who allegedly threatened to get others to fail in examinations or make them get thrown out of the hostel. Threatening others to join a particular political party, sexual harassment and misconduct, collection of money, filing false FIRs against students, and physical violence are some other charges for their expulsion. It was unanimously agreed upon, during a college council meeting, that these doctors would be permanently expelled from the hostel, with notices being sent to their homes. Along with the removal of 10 doctors, 59 people, including interns, students, and house staff, were temporarily suspended.
Ashish Pandey, a house staff member close to former R G Kar principal Sandip Ghosh, is among those dismissed. He was detained by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for financial irregularities and document leaks. Furthermore, the expelled individuals’ names will be sent to the State Medical Council, which may evaluate and negate their medical registration certificates.
According to several media reports, the decision came after the medical college’s administration conducted a special college council meeting on Saturday following an Institutional Enquiry Committee report that found the staff and students guilty. They then decided to expel them until further notice. Furthermore, the names of those who were determined to have “substantial evidence of sexual harassment against women” were given to the Internal Complaints Committee.
Following many accusations from junior doctors, hospital management took stringent action, leading up to the identification of 59 accused people. The council has promised to continue its inquiry and take additional action as necessary. This action began on August 9, following the rape and death of a female trainee doctor at RG Kar Hospital. Following the incident, several other government hospitals across West Bengal received complaints about the ‘threat culture’. Junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital have been protesting their working conditions after the rape and murder of a Kolkata doctor in August earlier this year. The agitators had in part resumed work after receiving promises from the Mamata Banerjee-led government last month.