In a noteworthy move, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested the Trinamool Congress (TMC) youth leader and RG Kar staff Ashish Pandey, for his alleged involvement in tender irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata.
Terming it a significant move, the protesting doctors under the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front (WBJDF) have taken out a march from SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, to Dharmatala, the epicentre of the city.
Additionally, the students of RG Kar have burnt an effigy of Pandey following his arrest.
Speaking about the rally, Dr Prithwish Sarkar said, "We have changed our protest site from medical colleges to Dharmatala. From now on, the protest will continue from here." He is a doctor at Kolkata Medical College.
The arrest of Pandey has contributed to the discussions about threat culture which is prevalent in the government medical colleges of West Bengal.
It is learnt that Pandey is a close aide to the former principal of RG Kar, Dr Sandip Ghosh. Additionally, Pandey is considered the kingpin of threat culture at RG Kar, who used his contacts to ensure that the award of contracts for the supply of medical equipment to the hospital or work orders for carrying out infrastructure development activities were granted only to the chosen contractors of Dr Ghosh.
Sources revealed that there were multiple allegations of corruption against Pandey. "His housestaffship post was supposedly not earned by merit," added Dr Abhinaba Ghosh, an MBBS doctor from Kolkata.
Sarkar further said that every medical college should take appropriate legal action against the accused of threat culture.