Kolkata (PTI): CBI sleuths on Saturday started questioning another doctor, allegedly close to arrested former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh, in connection with their probe into the rape and murder of a woman doctor at the medical establishment, an officer of the agency said.

Birupaksha Biswas, who was recently transferred by the West Bengal Health Department from Burdwan Medical College and Hospital to remote Kakdwip hospital in South 24 Parganas district, appeared before officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at its CGO Complex office in Salt Lake area.

Biswas, allegedly part of a 'North Bengal lobby' operational in medical colleges, was seen at RG Kar Hospital on August 9, when the body of the woman medic was found, the CBI officer said.

The 'North Bengal lobby' is being referred by medics in West Bengal to a group of doctors and officials posted at state-run medical establishments who allegedly threatened students.

"He is being questioned about his presence at RG Kar Hospital on August 9 despite having no official engagement, apart from other queries," the officer told PTI.

Incidentally, an FIR has been lodged against Biswas and two other doctors -- Avik De and Ranjit Saha – with Bowbazar police station for allegedly threatening students at different medical colleges and hospitals across West Bengal.

They have been booked under Section 351 (assault as making a gesture or preparation causing someone to believe that they are about to be subjected to criminal force) of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Sharjah: Thumbay Group has laid the foundation stone for the Thumbay Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Hospital at Sharjah Healthcare City, a 120-bed facility that the company says will be the region’s first private, fully integrated hospital dedicated to psychiatric care, neuro-rehabilitation and addiction recovery.

The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri, who is also a member of the Sharjah Executive Council, in the presence of Dr. Thumbay Moideen.

Spread across 110,000 square feet, the hospital is being developed to address growing demand for specialised mental health and rehabilitation services in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.

The facility will include inpatient and outpatient services in psychiatry, neuro-rehabilitation, addiction treatment, child and adolescent mental health, and care for mood and anxiety disorders. It will also feature VIP inpatient villas designed to provide privacy and support long-term recovery.

A mosque, named the Thumbay Masjid, will be constructed within the campus and will be open to the public.

The hospital is being designed to meet standards for Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an internationally recognised accreditation system for rehabilitation facilities.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri said the project reflects Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in all aspects of wellbeing.

“Mental health and rehabilitation have long needed dedicated infrastructure, and we are proud to support a private partner whose vision matches the ambition of this Emirate,” he said.

Dr. Thumbay Moideen said the project was a response to a growing need for specialised mental healthcare services in the region.

“We have spent over three decades building healthcare in this region, and the one conversation that has grown louder every year is mental health. Families have been carrying this quietly for too long. This hospital is our answer. It is purpose-built, not retrofitted, and it has been designed around dignity, recovery, and outcomes that families can trust,” he said.

Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, and the hospital is expected to become operational by mid-2027.

Once completed, the facility will become part of Thumbay Group’s network of healthcare, education and diagnostic institutions across the UAE.