Kolkata: Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers on Friday conducted simultaneous search operations at the residences of Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and three of his associates in connection with alleged financial irregularities at the institute, an officer said.

The raids were carried out at Ghosh’s residence in Beliaghata and at two locations in Howrah and Subhasgram. All the four are already in CBI custody.

“We reached these places around 6.15 am and started our raids,” the officer told PTI.

The ED has filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Ghosh, which is analogous to a First Information Report (FIR) in criminal cases.

On August 23, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the investigation into the alleged financial irregularities at state-run hospital from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the CBI.

This decision followed a petition by Dr. Akhtar Ali, the former deputy superintendent of the facility, who sought an investigation by the ED into multiple allegations of financial misconduct during Ghosh’s tenure as principal.