KOLKATA: From physical and mental torture, forceful collection of unaccounted for money, threats to fail examinations and sexual misconduct – a section of junior doctors and students had converted the RG Kar Medical College campus into their fiefdom in the past few years. The special college council has now pronounced stringent punishment against 59 perpetrators on finding substantial proof of some of the charges.
The students, barring six, have been barred from the campus for six months to one year depending on the nature of their misconduct.Six were let go with a warning. The council has categorised the 59 – 36 junior doctors and 23 students – against whom the probe was conducted, into three groups depending on the severity of misconduct.
Students and junior doctors said reign of terror by the group began after Sandip Ghosh took charge as principal in 2021. While the name of house staff Asish Pandey appeared several times as far as threat culture is concerned, sources alleged that Sourav Paul, a senior resident at the radiotherapy department, was the one who would pull the strings.
While Pandey is in CBI custody, Paul is also under scanner. Both are among the 10 who have been handed over the most stringent actions by the council. Expelled from the college and hostel, their names will also be forwarded to West Bengal Medical Council for re-evaluation of their registration. “They not only decided who will get good marks and who will fail but also took bribes from juniors against seats for internships or house staff,” an intern said.
Ten of the 59 interns, house staff and senior residents of the hospital, who were charged on multiple counts, were expelled from the institute till further notice by the special college council, which held a meeting on Saturday.
They were charged with threatening students, physical and mental torture, verbal abuse, sexual harassment, buying drugs and alcohol and performing obscene acts at the boys’ hostel, among other offences.Names of those expelled have also been sent to West Bengal Medical Council for evaluation of their medical registration certificates.