Atin Ghosh Questioned By CBI Over Hospital Scam In Kolkata

Kolkata, August 20, 2025 — The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out a raid at the residence of Kolkata Deputy Mayor and Trinamool Congress MLA Atin Ghosh on Tuesday. The action came as part of the ongoing probe into alleged irregularities in the administration of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Officials said they aimed the search and questioning at uncovering how financial decisions tied to the hospital’s Patient Welfare Committee, also called the Rogi Kalyan Samiti, may have facilitated corruption.

The Raid

The raid began in the afternoon and lasted several hours. Officers from the central agency searched Ghosh’s home while another team questioned him. By evening, the Deputy Mayor confirmed that he had given his statement to the investigators. His admission that CBI officials asked detailed questions about his role in the hospital’s welfare committee shows that the probe is drilling into specifics rather than broad accusations.

Interrogation and Findings

CBI officers recorded statements from at least 500 individuals in connection with the RG Kar probe, Ghosh revealed after his questioning. He noted that his interrogation lasted nearly two hours and forty minutes, stretching from 2:15 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Investigators zeroed in on the functioning of the Patient Welfare Committee. Since 2022, the committee has met three to four times each year, totaling around 12 sessions. Ghosh acknowledged that he had attended 8 to 10 of those meetings, where hospital management decisions were discussed. These numbers now form the backbone of the CBI’s forensic trail, as officials attempt to match meeting minutes and approvals to financial transactions that appear suspicious.

Hundreds of recorded testimonies combined with detailed meeting records may allow investigators to trace how officials redirected public health funds. In this sense, the quantitative details matter as much as the political weight behind the questioning.

Political Tensions Rise

The raid quickly turned into a political talking point. Trinamool leaders accused the central government of misusing investigative agencies to target opposition voices, while BJP functionaries argued that the CBI was doing its job by holding powerful people accountable. Residents of Kolkata, meanwhile, expressed mixed feelings. Some believe that the probe could expose long-hidden corruption, while others see it as part of the constant back-and-forth between state and central politics.

A System Under Scrutiny

The RG Kar case has already sparked wider debate about transparency in hospital management and the use of patient welfare funds. Committees like the one under Ghosh are meant to safeguard public health interests. However, if they turn into rubber stamps for irregular spending, then citizens lose faith in both the system and the leaders meant to protect it.

This investigation is far from finished. With hundreds of testimonies collected, financial trails under examination, and political rhetoric heating up, the RG Kar case seems set to dominate headlines in the coming months. Whether the CBI succeeds in building a case or the matter dissolves into another cycle of political allegations remains to be seen.

Read more: ED Attaches ₹5 Crore in Karnataka Corporation Scam