RG Kar rape to Sandeshkhali: How spoils system is becoming the bane of Bengal

In 2013, a tragic and shocking incident unfolded in Kolkata when a sub-inspector from the Special Branch of Kolkata Police was shot dead in broad daylight while filing nomination papers for a local college election.

This audacious crime triggered a wave of controversy and upheaval, leading to the abrupt transfer of the then Police Commissioner of Kolkata, RK Pachananda. The case was handed over to a different department, but despite an arrest and the filing of charges, the prime accused managed to secure bail within two months.

The accused’s son now holds a position as a municipal councillor for the ruling party, and the incident itself became symbolic of the entrenched spoils system that plagues the city’s administration. Some police officers resisted political pressure, but that was back in 2013.

Fast-forward to 2024, Sanjoy Roy, the accused in the gruesome rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, is a Civic Volunteer, underscoring the system’s continued decay.

SANJAY ROY: A SYMBOL OF CORRUPTED SYSTEM
The Kolkata Police’s eerie silence on the background of Sanjoy Roy stems from a fear of “compulsory waiting” and “walking beyond brief”. When the Supreme Court rapped the force for a delay in filing of FIR in the RG Kar sexual assault and murder case, the police had pieced a chronology of their investigation, which was shared with the media via a government lawyer.

The chronology had professional details of all who were interrogated, barirng the main accused, Sanjoy Roy. The Kolkata Police has only shared source-based sketchy information about Roy’s association with the force.

As per sources, Sanjay Roy became a civic volunteer in 2019, where he joined the disaster management group. However, he mysteriously used some connections to end up on the 14-member central committee of Kolkata Police’s Welfare Board, a position that allowed him to wield the power to transfer police officers. He used a Kolkata Police registered bike, got a bed in the barracks of the 4th Battalion, and was also provided with 5 litres of free fuel daily.

India Today reached out to Kolkata Police multiple times but got no answer on whether any specific action was initiated against officials/individuals behind the rise of Sanjoy Roy from a civic volunteer to a member of the Welfare Board.

Sanjoy Roy’s misuse of his position culminated in a shocking crime where he allegedly drove a police-registered motorcycle for 15 kilometers while intoxicated before fleeing the scene of the crime. Neighbours, believing him to be a police officer, reported that Roy had duped a local resident out of Rs 2 lakhs with a false promise of securing a job in the police force.

Despite serious allegations, including a complaint lodged by his late wife’s family after he assaulted her while she was three months pregnant, no action was taken against Roy.

It is widely believed within police circles that Roy enjoyed the protection of a senior officer on the Police Welfare Board. This lack of accountability has left many questioning whether the crime could have been prevented if complaints against Roy had been taken seriously.

Despite the lapses in the system of the force which indicate a failure of a safety net, the Kolkata Police is yet to come on record offering transparency about Sanjay Roy and those who facilitated his abuse of power. The perks that Sanjay enjoyed are not awarded to civic volunteers who are contractual workers enroled to assist the police in crowd management and disaster management, largely. Information in the public domain by Kolkata Police suggests that a civic volunteer will not have any claim as a regular employee of Kolkata Police.

WHAT IS A SPOILS SYSTEM?
The spoils system is a practice in which a political party, after winning an election, rewards its supporters, friends, and loyalists by giving them government jobs and other favours. This system is based on the idea of political patronage, where positions of power are distributed as rewards for loyalty to the party, rather than on merit or qualifications.

The term originated in the United States in the 19th century, during the presidency of Andrew Jackson, who famously defended the practice by stating, “To the victor belong the spoils of the enemy.” While the spoils system helped to build and maintain political loyalty, it often led to corruption, inefficiency, crimes, and unqualified individuals occupying important positions in government.

Just like Sanjoy, the treatment of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government towards the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, after the incident came into light and before is questionable. Despite multiple complaints, no action was initiated against Sandip Ghosh by the state’s health department.

The West Bengal government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations against Sandip Ghosh only after Akhtar Ali, a former deputy superintendent of the hospital, moved Calcutta High Court seeking Enforcement Directorate (ED) action. The case was filed on August 19 at Tala police station. The complaints against Ghosh were lying in cold until the rape and murder case in RG Kar hospital put a spotlight on him. Both the times he was transferred, he saw the order reversed, once within 24 hours.

Sources within the Trinamool Congress have also agreed that Sandip Ghosh enjoyed clout. Ghosh’s resignation was followed by a swift reassignment to another post, further underscoring the impunity enjoyed by those with the right connections.

Protesting doctors at RG Kar also put up posters against a North Bengal lobby running a nexus in the government health department. Sandip Ghosh is allegedly a part of the lobby that was initially started by alumni of North Bengal medical college. The doctors mentioned in the posters were unreachable.

DARK HISTORY OF SANDIP GHOSH
The former principal of RG Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh, now under investigation by the CBI and ED for alleged financial irregularities, is no stranger to controversy. Ghosh took on the role of principal in January 2021, but his tenure, spanning three and a half years, has been marked by multiple transfers, all stemming from allegations of financial misconduct. Despite these challenges, Ghosh managed to overturn his transfers and return to his position each time.

In 2023, Ghosh was transferred twice, first in June and then again in September, to Murshidabad Medical College, following formal complaints to the health ministry. These transfers were driven by accusations of financial mismanagement and a criminal nexus, which were brought to light by Akhtar Ali, a former deputy superintendent of the hospital. Ali’s petition in the High Court has now led to an ongoing investigation by the CBI and ED.

Ali first raised his concerns in March 2023, addressing the state health secretary, the vigilance commission, and the Anti-Corruption Bureau. He followed up with a letter in July, escalating the matter. According to an interview conducted by India Today, a postgraduate student and close friend of a deceased individual, who had his statement recorded by Kolkata Police, confirmed that Ghosh was at the centre of a corrupt network. “After assuming the role, Ghosh formed a select group of over 10-12 MBBS students, including interns and house staff, who were given significant influence in managing student affairs,” he said.

The creation of this inner circle led to widespread discontent among students, who eventually protested against Ghosh, even forcing him to flee the campus. In response, Ghosh arranged for a personal security team.

The main allegations against this select group of students include extortion, demanding money in exchange for services such as passing exams or securing hostel accommodation. A doctor interviewed by India Today stated, “If interns and house staff didn’t report for duty, we couldn’t take action against them because they were close to the principal”.

Before his tenure at RG Kar, Ghosh served as Medical Superintendent and Vice Principal at Calcutta National Medical College, where he also faced allegations of irregularities. In late 2022, Dr. Somnath Das, then Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology at RG Kar, alerted the West Bengal health secretary to financial and other malpractices occurring at the hospital.

Das raised serious concerns about unclaimed bodies being used for dissection and teaching before post-mortem examinations were conducted. This led to a complaint filed with the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) after five unclaimed bodies were taken to an ENT workshop for dissection without police notification. Das was subsequently transferred in January 2023.

Although India Today could not verify if this was a direct result of his complaints, sources within RG Kar suggest that it was a punitive action for speaking out. Following Das’s complaint, the WBHRC issued three notices to Ghosh between September 2023 and January 2024, but he failed to appear each time.

SYSTEMIC FAILURES: FROM SANDESHKHALI TO RG KAR HOSPITAL
The RG Kar incident is not an isolated case but rather part of a broader pattern of systemic failures and political patronage that permeates Kolkata’s governance. The Sandeshkhali case, where a TMC Panchayat member evaded arrest for 55 days despite serious allegations, is another stark example of the spoils system in action.

A local Panchayat member from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), Sheikh Shahjahan, went into hiding for 55 days before eventually being arrested by the West Bengal Police in Minakhan, just a few kilometers from his home in Sandeshkhali. The crisis began when Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials attempted to raid Shahjahan’s house, only to be attacked by local residents who viewed him as a benefactor responsible for their livelihoods.

Later, residents of Sandeshkhali have come forward with accusations against local TMC leaders, including illegal land grabs and sexual abuse, further demonstrating the unchecked abuse of power in the region.

WHY IS RG KAR SEEING MORE SUSTAINED PROTESTS?
Demographics may play a role, but incidents in urban settings often see more sustained attention due to ease of accessibility. However, from Sandeshkhali to RG Kar, the underlying narrative remains the same: when bad actors are allowed to thrive, when government safety nets fail, and when undue advantages are granted for political interests, such individuals tend to abuse power and believe themselves invincible.

According to sources, Sanjoy Roy’s friend, who was with him that day, stated in his testimony that Roy was relaxed and felt happy the following day.

Public outrage, both online and on the streets, seems driven by frustration with a government whose immediate response to any crime is denial. The release of audio tapes, where government authorities at the medical college suggested suicide to the victim’s family, only deepened suspicions.

A protestor participating in the “Reclaim the Night” march on August 14th told India Today that the outrage is directed at a system failing to ensure women’s security, and also at a ruling government that blatantly provides political patronage. She noted, “People resonate with the RG Kar incident because they experience the consequences of political patronage in their daily lives”.

She added that her parents, who run a construction business, are forced to work with a syndicate that operates like a well-oiled machine. “My father has no choice but to purchase construction materials from the local councillor if he wants to stay in business”.

More than 20 days after the alleged crime, protests at both micro and macro levels continue in the city, with a significant portion of the population believing there is an attempted cover-up of the RG Kar incident.

MISINFORMATION AND PUBLIC DISTRUST
The RG Kar incident also became a breeding ground for misinformation, further eroding public trust. Misleading videos and rumours, including unfounded claims of gang rape, spread like wildfire, exacerbating the public’s anger.

Despite multiple misinformation theories being debunked by investigating agencies and the media, the deep-seated mistrust in the system means that many continue to believe that a cover-up is underway, with Sanjoy Roy being used as a scapegoat.

The actions of the hospital authorities in commencing renovation work near the crime scene have sparked suspicion, particularly after the vandalism that occurred during the night of August 14 and 15.

India Today spoke to a Public Welfare Department (PWD) official overlooking the renovation work. “The renovation work was instructed by the Chest Department after a demand for a proper rest area from the students,” the official said.

However, the urgency with which the renovations were carried out, coupled with the sudden reinstatement of the former RG Kar Principal as the head of the medical college on August 12th, raised further doubts. An assistant professor familiar with the situation revealed to India Today that the renovation work was likely initiated to quell student protests, as they were also advocating for improved working conditions.

A CRY FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
The incidents in Kolkata, from the rise of Sanjoy Roy to the RG Kar case, highlight the urgent need for accountability and transparency in governance. The entrenched spoils system has allowed individuals to abuse their positions of power with impunity, while the public continues to pay the price. As protests continue, the call for a system that prioritizes merit, justice, and the rule of law over political patronage grows louder.