Swift trial in RG Kar financial irregularities case needed to ensure faith in courts: Calcutta High Court

A prompt and fair trial is needed in the financial irregularities case against former principal of RG Medical College and Hospital Dr. Sandip Ghosh, to restore public faith in the justice delivery system, observed the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday..This financial irregularities case was filed shortly after the August 2024 rape and murder of a junior doctor at the premises of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital drew national outrage.A Bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Gaurang Kanth explained that the allegations of corruption in this case too had eroded public confidence in State affairs, which could only be restored through a swift trial."The charges are very serious in nature and we are informed that the respondents are in jail. Corruption in public administration erodes the confidence of the general people in the affairs of the State. In the present case, it has far-reaching consequences, polluting the health system. Corruption in high places has a serious impact on public confidence in the affairs of the State. A prompt trial of persons accused of corruption would reinforce the faith of the people in the justice delivery system," the Court said..The Court was hearing a plea by Dr. Ghosh and others accused in the case to direct the trial court to defer the framing of charges against them.The accused sought such time so that some more documents with the investigating agency could be handed over to them before charges were framed by the trial court.They argued all documents relied on by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute them have not been supplied. This violated Section 230 (supply to accused of copy of police report and other documents) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), they argued. Earlier, a single judge Bench had declined to extend them any relief in the matter, observing that it may prolong the trial. This prompted the accused to file an appeal before a Division Bench of the High Court. .On Tuesday, the Division Bench directed the CBI to ensure that copies of the remaining necessary documents are handed over to Dr. Ghosh and others accused, as required under Section 230, BNSS."The requirement of a fair trial is a sine-qua-non in this case. To achieve this end, this Court directs the CBI and the accused to compare documents, even during a weekend, and ensure the requirements under Section 230, BNSS are complied with ... Scanned copies of the relied documents shall be supplied to all the accused by tomorrow that is 12/2/25," the Court ordered..The Court had earlier also observed that it does not want a situation of "justice hurried and buried.""At the same time, we will keep the entire proceeding (before the special court) under our strict supervision," the Court had said.The matter has been kept pending. The Bench has ordered the trial court to schedule its next hearing of the main case before the plea by Dr. Ghosh and other accused persons is heard again by the High Court. .Ghosh was arrested by the CBI on September 2, 2024. This was after the Calcutta High Court on August 23 ordered the CBI to investigate alleged financial irregularities and mishandling of key evidence concerning the RG Kar rape and murder case. The High Court ordered the probe after one Akhtar Ali, the former Deputy Superintendent at RG Kar Hospital, accused Dr. Ghosh of having committed serious illegalities when he was the principal of the college.Ghosh had initially moved Supreme Court challenging the High Court order, but the same was dismissed on September 6 last year.Meanwhile, a trial court recently found the prime accused in the rape and murder case, Sanjay Roy, guilty of the crime and sentenced him to life imprisonment. An appeal by the CBI seeking the death penalty for Roy is pending before the High Court.