Kolkata: Ashish Pandey, a leader of the Trinamool Congress and staff member at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, has been arrested for his alleged role in tender irregularities at the hospital and will be produced in a special court here by CBI on Friday afternoon. 

Sources say that Pandey, a close associate of the former principal of RG Kar, Sandip Ghosh, used his connections within the ruling party to ensure that contracts for medical equipment and infrastructure projects were awarded only to favoured contractors.

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Before his arrest on Thursday evening, Pandey reportedly tried to mislead investigators during questioning, leading the CBI to take him into custody.

In addition to his involvement in financial misconduct, Pandey has faced complaints about fostering a ‘threat culture’ at RG Kar. The CBI plans to request his custody for further questioning during the court appearance.

Former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen emphasised the need to identify and discipline individuals like Pandey, who he claims are harming the party from within. “At the same time, those who are patronising and backing such people should also be identified and dealt with strongly,” Sen added.

Pandey is the fifth person arrested in connection with the financial irregularities at RG Kar Hospital. Earlier arrests included Ghosh and three others: Afsar Ali, Suman Hazra, and Biplab Sinha. Ali served as Ghosh's personal bodyguard, while Hazra and Sinha were vendors involved in supplying medical equipment during Ghosh’s tenure as principal.

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