Kolkata, 14 October (H.S.):

Akhtar Ali, the former deputy superintendent who exposed financial irregularities at West Bengal's controversial R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, resigned from his post on Monday. Ali is considered a whistleblower in the case.

It was on Akhtar Ali's petition that the Calcutta High Court last year handed over the investigation into financial irregularities worth crores of rupees to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Based on this investigation, the CBI arrested several individuals, including R.G. Kar's then-controversial principal, Sandip Ghosh, who is currently in judicial custody.

However, at the time of filing of the news, the state health department had not confirmed the acceptance of his resignation. Akhtar Ali was currently posted as deputy superintendent at Kaliaganj State General Hospital in Malda district.

Ali told the media on Tuesday that he had faced retaliatory action from the state government since raising his voice against the financial irregularities. He said, I have reached the limit of my fight against the corrupt system. Therefore, I have decided to resign from the service. However, I will continue my fight against the corrupt health system in the state.

Meanwhile, political circles are abuzz with speculation that Akhtar Ali may soon join the Bharatiya Janata Party and contest the upcoming assembly elections. This speculation has intensified after he visited the BJP headquarters last week and met with state president and MP Shamik Bhattacharya. However, Ali has not yet issued a clear statement on this matter.

Notably, even before filing the petition in the Calcutta High Court, Akhtar Ali had raised his voice against the financial irregularities prevalent in R.G. Kar Medical College. He filed a complaint with the State Vigilance Commission, naming the then Principal, Sandip Ghosh, as the mastermind behind the entire matter. However, when the state government took no action, he approached the court.

A large section of the state's medical community has also alleged that financial irregularities at the R.G. Kar Medical College were part of a larger conspiracy behind the gruesome gang rape and murder of a female junior doctor on the college campus in August last year.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey