Justice Dutta directed the Chief Medical Officers of Health (CMOHs) of the two districts to cancel the contracts immediately and ensure compliance with proper tendering procedures
The Calcutta High Court has canceled contracts awarded to private security agencies for state-run hospitals in two West Bengal districts, citing violations in the tendering process. The order was issued by Justice Shampa Dutta (Paul) of the court’s single-judge vacation bench, which found that the tenders awarded to private firms for security services at hospitals in East Midnapore and West Midnapore districts failed to adhere to required norms.
Justice Dutta directed the Chief Medical Officers of Health (CMOHs) of the two districts to cancel the contracts immediately and ensure compliance with proper tendering procedures. The bench also ordered the CMOHs to submit affidavits detailing the reasons behind their decision to grant contracts to private agencies that, according to the court, were ineligible for the role.
The court’s decision raises questions as the contracts were awarded after a previous contract with another security agency, deemed suitable for the job, was abruptly canceled. The issue has attracted attention as it coincides with an ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are probing suspected misconduct in the hospital’s tendering process for various services.
In the R.G. Kar case, former principal Sandip Ghosh and two private contractors have been identified as key figures. Allegations include awarding contracts to ineligible firms in exchange for large commissions, bypassing the state’s public works department for infrastructure projects, and illegally selling organs from unidentified bodies held at the hospital’s morgue. The probe also encompasses accusations of smuggling bio-medical waste from the hospital.
The Calcutta High Court’s decision underscores the importance of transparency in awarding contracts for public health facilities. As investigations proceed, both the judiciary and central agencies aim to address alleged corruption within the state’s healthcare system.
