The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government has arrested Dr. Vatsala Aggarwal, former Director General of Health Services (DGHS), in connection with a multi-crore alleged medical procurement scam. Dr. Aggarwal, who was already suspended, was taken into custody along with Deputy Controller of Accounts Neeraj Chopra on Saturday. The case involves irregularities in purchasing medicines, surgical items, and medical equipment through the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) under the DGHS.
Officials revealed that the alleged financial irregularities amount to several hundred crore rupees. Dr. Aggarwal’s direct involvement in procurement processes during her tenure as DGHS has come under scrutiny. The investigation, triggered by suspicious transactions flagged by the Vigilance Department, is delving into tendering, financial evaluations, contract allocations, and payment processes.
The ACB is probing to identify the stage at which the irregularities occurred, beneficiaries of the contracts, and potential involvement of more officials or private entities in the scam. Dr. Aggarwal was removed from her post on May 21 and subsequently suspended to facilitate disciplinary proceedings. The ongoing investigation aims to reconstruct the entire procurement chain to ascertain if rules were circumvented for wrongful gains.
The case signifies a notable anti-corruption effort in Delhi’s health procurement system. Investigators are meticulously examining financial and administrative records to uncover the extent of misconduct. Dr. Vinod Kumar Ranga was previously arrested and questioned in connection with the case, leading to the discovery of additional links in the procurement process.
