Kolkata, Sep 06, 2024, TRIPURATIMES Desk

Kolkata, Sep 6 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday was conducting raid and search operations at four places, including the residence of Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of the R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital. The ED has already filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in the case of financial irregularities at the state-run hospital in Kolkata. Ghosh is currently in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is conducting a parallel probe in the case as directed by a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court. The two other places where ED is conducting raid and search operations include the residences of Biplab Sinha, Koushik Koley and Prasun Chattopadhyay, all being private vendors supplying medical and other equipment at R.G. Kar and suspected of being beneficiaries in the financial irregularities case. Although the team of ED officials had yet to enter the residence of Ghosh and was waiting at his doorsteps (at the time of filing the report), the raid and search operations by the three other teams of ED started action at the respective residences of Sinha, Koley and Chattopadhyay. Each raiding team of ED is escorted by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel. Sinha is also in CBI custody in connection with the agency’s ongoing probe into the scam. Ghosh, Sinha and two others were arrested by the CBI in connection with the case on September 2. The two others who are currently in CBI custody include Ghosh’s bodyguard Afsar Ali and Suman Hazra, a private vendor like Sinha. The ED is investigating the money laundering angle in the case. While CBI’s probe in the case of financial irregularities at R.G Kar was court-directed, ED has started a suo motu investigation in the matter. The ED always has greater flexibility than the CBI in starting an investigation in any case. While CBI can enter the investigation scene only under two circumstances, the first being standing clearance from the state government concerned and the second being a court order, there are no such restrictions on ED in such matters.