Jalpaiguri IMA suspends WB Medical Council Vice president over RG Kar rape-murder case

Jalpaiguri: Questioning the presence of the vice-president of West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC), Dr Sushanta Kumar Roy at the crime scene of RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata where the PG Trainee doctor was brutally raped and murdered, the Jalpaiguri branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) recently suspended him in this regard.  

Dr Sushanta Roy, an eye specialist based in Jalpaiguri became the centre of controversy after he was accused of being involved in promoting threat culture and even threatening junior doctors who joined the protests in seeking justice for the lady doctor. 

He is also the former secretary of the IMA Jalpaiguri branch who is accused of maintaining a close connection with the former principal of RG Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh, the prime suspect in the murder case. The association claimed that he was present at the crime scene along with some other members of the council.  

Also read- RG Kar Ex-Principal Sandip Ghosh charged with Sexual Assault of Hong Kong Nursing Student in 2017

Sending a two-page letter to Dr Roy, Dilip Kumar Dutta and Santanu Sen, the president and state secretary of the state branch of IMA suspended him from the association after accusing him of being the “mentor” of a “threat syndicate" that was allegedly run by Ghosh, Avik Dey, Biswas, Roy and some others. 

Stating the reason for his suspension, the association members told The Telegraph, “IMA had received reports about him for certain financial irregularities and violation of the norms of IMA. That is why, the decision has been made. He is under the scanner of a central investigating agency as he was present at RGKMCH after the crime, even though he has no connection with the hospital. Also, at a time when thousands of doctors resorted to protests and walked in the streets, he didn't join the protests."

Roy was deputed as the officer on special duty of the state health department in north Bengal during the Covid-19 pandemic. He, however, is not in any official post now but is the vice president of WBMC.

Earlier, Dilip Kumar Datta, the state president of IMA sent a letter to Sudipta Kumar Roy, the president of WBMC, seeking the suspension of Roy and four others — Avik Dey, Birupaksha Biswas, Dipanjan Haldar and Tapas Chakraborty.

Although WBMC suspended Avik Dey and Birupaksha Biswas, no action has been taken against Roy so far. 

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that both the West Bengal Health Department and West Bengal Medical Council suspended Dr Avik de and Dr Birupaksha Biswas. While the State Health Department suspended these two doctors after several allegations were raised against them for allegedly being involved in irregularities, misconduct, and being part of the North Bengal Lobby across medical colleges, the State Medical Council suspended Avik Dey and Birupakhya Biswas following pressure from all fronts, including that of the striking junior medics, for their alleged nexus in the crime.

Also read- Threat Culture Row: Kolkata police registers FIR against 3 doctors after complaints from 31 Calcutta Medical College Doctors