Kolkata, Sep 3 : The Health Department of the West Bengal government on Tuesday finally suspended Sandip Ghosh, the controversial former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata where a junior doctor was found raped and murdered on August 9 when Ghosh was in charge of the institute.

The Health Department announced Ghosh's suspension though an official order issued late on Tuesday evening. However, instead of Health Secretary N.S. Nigam, the order was signed by an officer on special duty in the Health Department.

'In view of the ongoing criminal investigation against Sandip Ghosh, Ex-Principal, RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata, Ghosh is placed under suspension under Rule 7(1c) of West Bengal Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1971, with immediate effect,' the order read.

However, representatives of the medical fraternity have questioned the late action by the state government which is already under fire for reportedly shielding Ghosh in the aftermath of the rape-murder case.

On Monday evening, Ghosh was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after 16 days of questioning.

Ghosh was being questioned in connection with two parallel probes being conducted by the CBI -- the rape and murder of the junior doctor, and allegations of financial irregularities at the R.G Kar Medical College and Hospital during his tenure.

The CBI arrested Ghosh in connection with its probe into the allegations of financial irregularities at the state-run medical college.

A couple of days after the recovery of the junior doctor's body, Ghosh announced his resignation both as the principal of R.G Kar as well as from the state medical services.

However, the same day, instead of accepting his resignation from the state medical services, the Health Department through a notification announced Ghosh's appointment as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH), drawing flak from all corners.

The move opened floodgates of protests, both against Ghosh and the state government with the latter being accused of making a blatant attempt to shield the former.

However, Ghosh could not take over as the principal of CNMCH as a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, while ordering a CBI probe into the RG Kar incident, also barred him from being appointed as the principal of any medical college in the state until further orders.

Trouble mounted for Ghosh after a former deputy superintendent of RG Kar, Akhtar Ali, approached the Calcutta High Court with a plea seeking a central agency probe into the financial 'irregularities' at the hospital when Ghosh was at the helm of its affairs.

In his petition, Ali pointed out how his earlier appeals to different departments of the state government as a whistle-blower highlighting the financial irregularities were ignored by the administrative machinery.

Acting on Ali's petition, the high court directed the CBI to conduct a parallel probe into the charges of financial irregularities along with the rape and murder case.

/IANS