The investigation into an alleged ₹700-crore medical procurement scam in Delhi has taken a serious turn, with the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) telling a city court that crucial purchase records were allegedly destroyed intentionally. The missing documents relate to procurement undertaken by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and the Central Procurement Agency (CPA), the government body responsible for supplying medicines and medical equipment to public healthcare institutions.
₹700-Crore Delhi Medical Scam: Crucial Procurement Records Allegedly Destroyed
According to the agency’s submissions before the court, the destroyed records could have provided important information about how several tenders were prepared, evaluated and ultimately awarded. Investigators said the files contained details of officials responsible for drafting bid documents and determining the eligibility conditions for bidders.
The records reportedly covered procurement of equipment and supplies including X-Ray machines, C-Arm machines and hospital linen. They also allegedly contained information about officials involved in the technical and financial assessment of bids.
The ACB has alleged that the disappearance of these records was not accidental. During proceedings last week, the agency claimed that the accused deliberately destroyed the documents, thereby removing evidence that could have helped establish how the alleged irregularities were carried out.
The case originated from a complaint filed by the Vigilance Department. The complaint was subsequently converted into an FIR on June 2. Investigators are examining alleged irregularities in the purchase of medicines, surgical materials and hospital equipment, including claims of manipulated tender processes and diversion of public money.
The investigation has named several former officials among the principal accused. They include former DGHS chief Dr Vatsala Aggarwal, former CPA deputy controller of accounts Neeraj Chopra and Dr Vinod Kumar Ranga, who previously served as the CPA’s head of office.
Ranga’s plea for regular bail was rejected by the court on Monday. Aggarwal, meanwhile, received temporary relief after the court granted her interim bail for four weeks on medical grounds.
Aggarwal had sought bail citing multiple health-related concerns, including hypertension, diabetes, palpitations and a spinal injury. Special Judge Vidya Prakash, while granting interim relief, made it clear that the order was based on humanitarian considerations and did not amount to any finding on the merits of the allegations.
The court observed that, considering Aggarwal’s medical condition and the circumstances presented before it, she deserved interim bail. The court, however, did not make any determination regarding her alleged role in the procurement case.
The first arrest in the investigation was made on June 18. Since then, the probe has expanded to allegations involving suppliers, government officials and financial transactions connected with the procurement process.
Delhi Medical Procurement Scam: ACB Alleges Tender Manipulation and Cartelisation
Another key figure in the investigation is Rajiv Rangila, described by the ACB as a medicine supplier and pharmaceutical trader. On June 30, he was reportedly granted anticipatory bail in a separate extortion case. The agency subsequently told the court that Rangila allegedly left India and is currently absconding.
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Rangila’s disappearance has also featured in arguments surrounding Ranga’s bail application. Ranga’s lawyers reportedly argued that his continued custody was unjustified because the ACB had not completed its investigation. They also claimed that decisions attributed to Ranga were taken after receiving approval from Aggarwal.
The ACB, however, has alleged a wider conspiracy involving coordinated manipulation of the tendering process. According to the agency, the accused allegedly participated in a process of “cartelisation” designed to favour selected entities.
Investigators have alleged that tender conditions were framed in a manner that could discourage competing companies from entering the bidding process. Among the conditions under scrutiny are unusually high requirements relating to turnover, previous experience and performance.
The agency has claimed that such conditions effectively narrowed competition and allegedly enabled tenders to be awarded to preferred entities through unlawful means. If established in court, such practices could indicate a systematic effort to manipulate public procurement rather than isolated procedural violations.
₹700-Crore Scam Probe: ACB Tracks Suspicious Government Fund Transfers
The financial trail is another major focus of the investigation. The ACB has alleged that payments owed to some vendors were withheld for extended periods, in certain cases for more than two years, even after the suppliers had delivered the required materials.
At the same time, investigators allegedly identified government funds moving through numerous bank accounts that had no apparent connection with the medicines, equipment or other materials supplied to the DGHS or CPA.
According to the agency, money running into crores was subsequently withdrawn in cash or transferred to additional accounts. Investigators suspect that these transactions were part of an effort to divert or siphon government funds.
The alleged destruction of procurement files could therefore become a critical aspect of the investigation. Such records may have helped investigators establish who drafted tender conditions, who approved them and how bids were evaluated before contracts were awarded.
The ACB’s allegations are yet to be tested fully during the judicial process, and the accused are entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities attempting to reconstruct the procurement process through surviving records, financial transactions and other evidence.
Delhi Health Procurement Case: Missing Files Become Key Evidence in ACB Probe
The case has raised broader concerns about transparency in government procurement, particularly when public money is involved in essential healthcare supplies. Any proven manipulation of tenders or diversion of funds could have implications not only for the individuals accused but also for the functioning of procurement systems serving Delhi’s public hospitals.
As the investigation progresses, the recovery of financial records, identification of missing documents and tracing of alleged money transfers are expected to remain central to the ACB’s efforts to establish the full extent of the alleged ₹700-crore scam.
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