IMA suspends membership of ex-RG Kar Hospital principal

New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday suspended the membership of former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Dr Sandip Ghosh, amid a CBI probe into the alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor at the Kolkata-based institute earlier this month.

The decision to suspend the IMA membership of Ghosh, who is the vice president of the association’s Kolkata branch, was taken by its disciplinary committee. In an order, the Indian Medical Association said the committee constituted by IMA national president Dr R V Asokan on Wednesday suo-motu considered the rape and murder case of the postgraduate resident doctor and the subsequent developments at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The IMA general secretary along with Asokan had met the victim’s parents at their home, it said. “They had put up their grievances against you (Ghosh) in dealing with the situation as well as lack of empathy and sensitivity in handling the issue in appropriate manner befitting the responsibility held by you in your dealings with them,” the order said.

“The IMA Bengal state branch as well as certain associations’ of doctors also have demanded action citing the nature of disrepute brought by you to the profession on the whole,” it said. The order said the disciplinary committee of the IMA has “unanimously decided to suspend you forthwith from the membership of Indian Medical Association.”

Earlier, In a letter to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) expressed concern over Ghosh’s continued affiliation with the organisation. Ghosh’s membership is “not only inappropriate but also detrimental to the reputation and ethical standards” of the IMA, the letter said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has begun lie detection tests on Ghosh and others as part of their probe into the rape-murder of a woman medic at the institute and also registered a case of alleged financial irregularities at the facility.

The medical college came into media glare following the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor in a seminar hall on August 9 for which a civic volunteer Sanjay Roy was arrested. FAIMA, in its letter, said: “While we respect the principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’, it is imperative that our organisation upholds the highest standards of integrity and accountability, especially when a member is involved in such a serious legal matter,” it read.

The doctors’ body emphasised the importance of maintaining public trust in the medical profession, highlighting that doctors are bound by a strict code of ethics. The association argued that in cases where a member faces such grave accusations, it is the IMA’s responsibility to take appropriate action to safeguard the dignity and moral standing of the profession.