Former Delhi Health Services Chief Dr Vatsala Agarwal Arrested In Multi-Million Health Procurement Corruption Case | Today’s news
Delhi Police arrested former Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Vatsalu Agarwal in connection with a corruption case involving alleged irregularities in the purchase of medicines, surgical supplies and medical equipment.
According to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi Police, the probe is into alleged manipulation of tender specifications and other lapses in procurement of medicines and medical equipment worth hundreds of crores of rupees.
The Delhi government had earlier initiated proceedings under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for alleged financial and administrative irregularities in the procurement of medicines, surgical supplies and medical equipment through the Health Ministry’s Central Procurement Agency (CPA).
According to the ACB, the case pertains to alleged large-scale financial irregularities in contracts worth several hundred crores of rupees by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) under the DGHS. The investigation began after the vigilance directorate reported suspicious transactions and suspected violation of procurement procedures, PTI reported.
Investigators alleged that items including portable X-ray machines, bed sheets and linens, C-arm radiology equipment, anesthesia stations, oral rehydration solution (ORS), surgical supplies and drugs were purchased at inflated prices through rigged tenders.
ACB further claimed that tender specifications were deliberately adjusted to favor selected suppliers, effectively excluding genuine bidders and leading to the alleged misuse of public funds amounting to hundreds of millions of crowns.
The anti-corruption branch has also previously arrested the head of the Central Agency for Public Procurement, Dr. Vinod Kumar Ranga.
The ACB is investigating allegations of serious irregularities in the procurement process and financial losses caused to the exchequer.
What did Rekha Gupta say?
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said a fair, transparent and time-bound inquiry should be conducted into the case.
She reiterated the Delhi government’s zero-tolerance approach to corruption, adding that it was the government’s responsibility to protect every rupee of taxpayers’ money and that any misuse of public funds would not be tolerated.
The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) offers comprehensive health services to enrolled central government employees and pensioners and caters to a large population of beneficiaries.
