Mamata suspends 3 after Kunal Ghosh attempts suicide in prison

According to reports, CM has ordered the suspension of Jail Superintendent, the doctor who was attending Ghosh as well as the officer on duty at the jail ward hours after Kunal was admitted in state-run hospital.

She also reportedly ordered to set up a special committee to probe the entire episode.

Kunal, one of the key accused in the multi-crore Saradha Group chit fund scam, attempted suicide inside prison during wee hours on Friday, police sources said.

Ghosh was in Kolkata’s Presidency Jail since he was arrested in November last year in connection with the ponzi scam.

Reports said Ghosh took 58 'Alprazolam' sleeping pills and then informed jail officials that he had taken them.

His stomach has reportedly been washed and he is out of danger now, hospital sources said.

Ghosh is now admitted in the state-run premier SSKM Hospital’s critical care unit (CCU). His condition is learnt to be stable now.

Earlier, he had threatened in a court on Monday that he would commit suicide if the “real culprits” of the Saradha scam are not arrested.

Ghosh had said in an open court: “Investigation is being influenced. It is not acceptable that I will rot in jail while those involved will roam freely. I am giving three days’ time, if action is not taken I will commit suicide.”

As a matter of fact, he was the only Trinamool leader who was named in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in its first charge sheet in connection with the Saradha ponzi case.

A journalist by profession, Ghosh was the CEO of Saradha Group’s media operations.

Ghosh has been named by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in its first chargesheet in the multi-crore scam along with Saradha chief Sen and close aide Debjani Mukherjee.

Ghosh's suicide attempt raises uncomfortable questions on the security arrangements inside the jail.

The first question that arises is that how he got hold of a large quantity of sleeping pills?

Despite there being threats that Kunal might take such steps, why did jail authorities didn't take proper precautions by increasing security, asked Ghosh's counsel Soumyajit Raha.

Some reports though suggested that Ghosh may have collected them over a period of time.

It has been learnt that Ghosh used to take three pills a day on being prescribed by Dr. Gautam Dasgupta, who used to treat Ghosh in jail. The pills were for nervous problem, blood pressure and sleep. As a result, Dasgupta has also been suspended by CM.

Additional IG Correctional Services West Bengal KK Mukherjee reportedly said that the suspended TMC leader was not unconscious and it was yet to ascertain if he had actually consumed those pills.

West Bengal Prison Minister HA Safi told a news agency: “Kunal Ghosh has access to 2-3 pills as his regular prescription. He said he took pills at 2:30am.”

“At 2:33am he went walking to SSKM (Hospital), not in a stretcher,” Safi is quoted by media as saying.

Meanwhile, CBI is contemplating to interrogate jail authorities, on how Kunal got access to the medicines.

"It is a matter of great concern. We will certainly write to the jail authorities to know how the medicines reached him and will also inform the court," media quoted a CBI official as saying.

The alleged suicide attempt by Kunal also puts Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal Government in a spot of bother. Since, Kunal has been targeting the Trinamool-led State Government including CM in connection with the scam.

Kunal alleged that TMC leadership very much knew about the multi-crore ponzi scam that ran into several thousands of crores rupees.

He had during earlier court hearings accused some top TMC leaders of having benefited from the scam.

BJP leader Subhramaniam Swamy demanded a thorough probe into the incident.

It has been learnt that CBI officials are likely to visit Ghosh later in the day in hospital.