Kolkata, Feb 11 (IANS): The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday observed that the nature of the scam in financial irregularities case in state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital will have a far-reaching effect on any internal administrative system in government functioning.

A division bench of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Gaurang Kanth also observed that besides administrative functioning, the healthcare system in the state might also be adversely impacted by the nature of the crime.

The main charges in the R.G. Kara financial irregularities case are manipulations in the tendering system of the said medical institute, getting the infrastructure-related work there done by outsourced contractors bypassing the state Public Works Department, smuggling of biomedical wastes of the hospital and finally selling of organs of unidentified bodies coming to the hospital morgue for autopsy purposes at premium prices outside.

The five main accused in the case, as mentioned in the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are former and controversial R.G. Kar principal, Sandip Ghosh, his assistant-cum-bodyguard Afsar Alir, private contractors Biplab Sinha and Suman Hazra and a junior doctor Ashish Pandey. All of them are in judicial custody now.

The chargesheet identified Ghosh as the mastermind behind the entire scam.

The division bench also directed the CBI to complete the process of the handover of all case-related documents to the counsels of the accused by Wednesday.

It also directed the counsels of the accused persons that on receipt of all the documents in the matter they should also update the special court in the city where the charge-framing and trial process is scheduled.

The next hearing in the matter at the division bench is scheduled for February 18 and it is expected that an idea will surface on the time by when the charge-framing process will be completed at the special court.