Special CBI court issues warrant against former R G Kar hospital official Akhtar Ali in graft case

Kolkata: A special CBI court on Friday issued a non-bailable warrant against Akhtar Ali, a former deputy superintendent at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, in connection with a case of financial irregularities at the state-run facility.

Ali's lawyer has claimed that he is the whistleblower in the alleged corruption case at the hospital, which was in focus over the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor in 2024, and was therefore being targeted by certain interested elements.

The special CBI court judge at Alipore court ordered the issuance of a warrant against Ali, who has been accused by the central agency of having indulged in illegalities in the tender process during the relevant period.

With Ali not present in the court, his lawyer submitted before the Judge that he was unwell, due to which he was not able to appear before it during the hearing.

The Calcutta High Court has recently rejected anticipatory bail prayer of Ali, who was a deputy superintendent (non-medical) of the medical college during the relevant time.

Ali had alleged financial irregularities at R G Medical College and Hospital during the tenure of the then principal Sandip Ghosh and on a petition by him, the high court had ordered a CBI probe into the alleged graft.

The CBI arrested Ghosh and two others in connection with the alleged financial irregularities at the hospital.

Claiming that Ali was taking care of the tender process then, the CBI has accused him of taking money for awarding contracts to certain vendors.

The agency maintained that the petitioner stands on a similar footing as that of principal accused Sandip Ghosh, who has been in custody for nearly one and a half years.

The central probe agency further claimed before the high court that it was only after Ali fell out with the co-accused that he started to make complaints against Ghosh.