Saradha scam: Kunal Ghosh, who attempted suicide, out of danger; jail superintendent, doctor suspended

KOLKATA: Suspended Trinamool Congress MP and Saradha scam accused Kunal Ghosh, who tried to commit suicide by consuming sleeping pills in jail, is out of danger even as the state government suspended the jail superintendent, doctor and a staff on duty.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee ordered suspension of superintendent of Presidency Correctional Home, jail doctor and a staff on duty in connection with alleged suicide attempt by Kunal Ghosh.

Ghosh, who had threatened to end his life if the CBI failed to take action against those involved in the scam, has been admitted to state-run SSKM hospital after he claimed to have taken 58 sleeping pills in a ‘suicide letter’.

West Bengal correctional home services minister HA Safwi said Ghosh had claimed to have consumed sleeping pills and was admitted to state-run SSKM Hospital, where doctors kept him under observation.

SSKM director Pradip Mitra said that Ghosh was out of danger.

A top jail department official said an extra watch was kept on Kunal Ghosh for the past two days after he had threatened to commit suicide.

“Before he went to sleep we searched him thoroughly. But no sedative or sleeping pill was found in his possession.

“But at around 2.30am he started complaining of breathlessness and claimed he had taken sleeping pills. Jail doctors called on him, examined him thoroughly but did not find anything abnormal. Still we did not take any chance,” the official told PTI.

Ghosh had threatened to commit suicide when he was produced before a city court on November 10 if CBI did not take “proper action” against those involved within three days.

“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,” he had told metropolitan magistrate Arvind Mishra at Bankshall Court here.

“I pray to you to pass an order that during these three days, none of my relatives or my lawyer be allowed to meet me or else I may get influenced and dissuaded,” Ghosh, who had during earlier court hearings accused some top TMC leaders of having benefited from the scam, told the judge that day.