Kolkata: A Calcutta High Court’s Division bench on Thursday admitted an appeal of Sandip Ghosh, ex-principal of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, praying for reasonable time to go through the documents relied upon by the prosecution before charges are framed against him by the trial court in the financial irregularities case. The bench of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Subhendu Samanta was moved by Ghosh’s counsel who on Wednesday had moved the Division Bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and consequently the Single Bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh which dismissed his petition without providing any relief.
The Division Bench of Justice Bagchi on Thursday decided to hear the matter on Friday, acknowledging the need for giving Sandip Ghosh reasonable time to go through the documents which run into thousands of pages. “Justice hurried is justice buried,” the court said. With the CBI apprehending that Ghosh may try to drag the proceeding in this manner, the bench asked when were the papers handed over by the probe agency. Court was told it was done on February 1. Noting that charge framing was due on February 4, the bench said Ghosh hardly got any time to peruse them. The CBI said if 60 days more is given to Ghosh, according to provisions under the new BNSS for filing a discharge application, then matters will get delayed further, given that CBI had to wait for over two months to get sanction for prosecution against him from the state. When the bench said Ghosh only needs seven days, CBI said they have no issue then.
However, with Ghosh’s counsel saying they never prayed for only seven days, the court warned against pulling off any dilatory tactics, saying 60-day time won’t be given. Both sides were asked to sit and decide how much reasonable time can be given.