Junior doctor Aniket Mahato has said that he has not received any posting order to join RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, despite the Supreme Court directing the West Bengal government to post him there within two weeks. Mahato stated that he has neither received an official email nor any written communication confirming his posting, contradicting the state health department’s claim that it has complied with the court’s directions.
Background of the Legal Battle
Mahato is a prominent face of the movement against alleged corruption at RG Kar Medical College and for justice in the August 9, 2024 rape and murder case of a woman postgraduate student on campus. Earlier, the Calcutta High Court had directed the state government to retain his posting at RG Kar, ruling against what Mahato alleged was a punitive transfer for his role in the agitation. The Supreme Court later upheld this decision and ordered his posting as a senior resident in anaesthesiology at RG Kar.
Conflicting Claims by State and Doctor
The controversy resurfaced after the state health department claimed it issued a posting order on December 31, signed by a deputy secretary, directing Mahato to join RG Kar within seven days. A senior official said the order had been communicated to the hospital authorities and Mahato’s lawyers. However, Mahato refuted this, stating that he received no email, letter, website notification, or communication from RG Kar Medical College.
Resignation and Exit from State Service
Citing the government’s failure to implement court orders, Mahato announced that he would no longer continue as a senior resident under the state government. He also resigned from the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, where he served as president of the board of trustees, attributing the decision to differences over the formation of a new executive committee.
Bond Penalty and Crowdfunding Appeal
Under West Bengal’s bond policy, Mahato is required to serve three years in government hospitals after completing postgraduate studies or pay a penalty of ₹10 lakh per year. By opting out, he now faces a ₹30 lakh penalty. Saying he comes from a lower-middle-class family and cannot afford the amount, Mahato has appealed to the public to help crowdfund the sum so he can continue his medical career outside the state system.
