RG Kar Case: Dr Santanu Sen removed from West Bengal Medical Council

Kolkata: Dr Santanu Sen, a former Rajya Sabha member who recently turned rebel, has been removed from his position as a state-government-nominated member of the West Bengal Medical Council. Sen, a former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, had attracted attention following his outspoken comments on the tragic rape and murder of a junior woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August.

Sen had turned a rebel over the recent incident of rape and murder of a junior woman doctor of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata in August this year and at that point in time, had made some comments that posed an embarrassment for his party.

According to an IANS report, last month, Trinamool legislator and the Council President, Sudipto Roy, also a medical practitioner, sent a letter to the state Health & Family Welfare department seeking Sen’s removal from that chair. 

Also Read:West Bengal Medical Council Registrar removed amid allegations of Illegal Appointment

In the letter to Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Narayan Swarup Nigam, Roy stated that Sen should be removed from the body because of his absence in six consecutive meetings of the council since January 1, 2024, without proper excuse and hence, he should be deemed to have vacated his post.

Finally, the Health & Family Welfare Department accepted the proposal of Roy and on Friday, announced the decision to remove Sen from the council, news agency IANS reported.

However, the state government is yet to announce the name of Sen’s replacements.

State government sources said that the name of the replacement is expected to be announced by next week. A cold war between Roy and Sen started brewing when the R.G. Kar tragedy surfaced, with Sen becoming vocal against a section of the state healthcare system. Things worsened further over the central agency probe on the financial irregularities at R.G. Kar, as a part of which the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials conducted raid and search operations at the residence and hospital of Roy in north Kolkata and also questioned him at the central agency office.

Also Read:West Bengal Medical Council cancels Dr Sandip Ghosh’s registration