West Bengal Governor R.N. Ravi on Saturday, 23 May ordered a departmental probe against Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Avik Dey, whose name has repeatedly surfaced in connection with both the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August 2024 and a multi-crore financial irregularities case linked to the institution. The order marks a significant escalation in the state's parallel accountability drive alongside the ongoing Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.

Who Is Dr Avik Dey

Dr Avik Dey is reportedly a close confidant of former R.G. Kar principal Sandip Ghosh. He was previously arrested by the CBI in connection with the financial irregularities case at the medical college. He currently serves as a radiologist at Burdwan Medical College in East Burdwan district.

Multiple allegations have surfaced against him, including promoting a so-called 'threat culture' across medical institutions in the state through his close associates, and allegedly pursuing postgraduate training under the service quota illegally, according to reports.

His Alleged Role in the RG Kar Case

During the R.G. Kar controversy, Dey's name emerged in allegations relating to the operation of a 'threat culture' in medical colleges across West Bengal. He was also accused of arriving at the crime scene despite having no official role there — raising questions about the timing and reasons behind his presence during the early hours after the victim's body was discovered.

The controversy deepened after suspended Deputy Commissioner Indira Mukherjee, at a press conference in 2024, described Dey as a 'fingerprint expert' of the detective department — a characterisation that drew widespread scrutiny.

State's Broader Accountability Push

The Governor's order comes in the wake of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announcing the reopening of files linked to the R.G. Kar cases. The Chief Minister also suspended three Indian Police Service (IPS) officers — former Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal and former Deputy Commissioners Abhishek Gupta and Indira Mukherjee — over alleged lapses in the initial investigation conducted by Kolkata Police before the probe was transferred to the CBI following a Calcutta High Court order.

Departmental proceedings are also being conducted against the three suspended IPS officers, running parallel to the CBI's criminal investigation. CM Adhikari clarified that the state's fresh inquiry would proceed alongside — and not replace — the central agency's ongoing work.

What Comes Next

With the Governor's departmental probe now formally initiated against Dr Dey and proceedings already underway against three senior police officers, the accountability web around the R.G. Kar case is widening on multiple fronts. Whether the departmental findings will feed into the CBI's criminal case or remain a separate administrative exercise will be closely watched by legal observers and the medical community alike.