The Government of Bengal seeks information on the junior doctors of all medical colleges

The West Bengal Health Department has issued a notice seeking detailed information on all junior doctors in medical colleges and hospitals in the state.

The information sought by the state health department on Saturday includes registration numbers, Aadhaar and PAN numbers, mobile numbers and details of their academic records. The posts of junior doctors and senior doctors are non-practicing posts, which means they are not allowed to do private practice outside their hospital duties.

Although the state health department has not given any reason for releasing such details, the matter has created a furore among members of the medical profession as protests continue against the gruesome rape and murder of a junior doctor of the state-run RG Kar Medical College & Hospital on the hospital premises last month.

The representatives of the medical profession also consider the announcement significant in light of the suspension of two junior doctors and a senior doctor at two state medical colleges and hospitals. The three were considered close confidants of Sandip Ghosh, the former and controversial director of the West Bengal Medical Council.

Ghosh is currently in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his alleged links to the RG Kar financial irregularities case.

Complaints are mounting against the two suspended junior doctors and a senior doctor for harassing and threatening the junior doctors, using their political influence as a shield.

The three suspended doctors are Avik De, former Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of the Radiodiagnosis Department of Burdwan Medical College, Dr Birupaksha Biswas, former Senior Resident Medical Officer of the Pathology Department of the same hospital, and Mustafizur Rahaman Mallick, Resident Medical Officer of Midnapore Medical College & Hospital.

A crucial hearing into the gruesome rape and murder case is scheduled for Monday in the Supreme Court, where the CBI is expected to submit its progress report on the investigation into the matter.

(With contributions from IANS)