New Delhi: In a dramatic turn in the alleged ₹700-crore Delhi health scam, the Anti-Corruption Branch informed a special court that vital and sensitive files connected to the case were deliberately destroyed as part of a conspiracy to erase evidence and mislead the investigation.
According to the investigation agency, the destroyed files directly pertained to procurements handled by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and the Central Procurement Agency (CPA). The CPA serves as the nodal agency responsible for buying and supplying medicines, injections, and essential medical equipment for Delhi government hospitals and healthcare facilities.
The ACB revealed that the destroyed records contained complete details regarding bids for X-ray machines, C-arm machines, and linen. They also carried the names and signatures of officials who prepared bid documents, fixed tender conditions, and conducted technical and financial evaluations.
The investigation agency has highlighted the roles of key accused in the high-profile case, including former DGHS head Dr. Vatsala Aggarwal, former CPA Deputy Controller of Accounts Neeraj Chopra, and former CPA Head of Office Dr. Vinod Kumar Ranga.
In court proceedings, a special court rejected the regular bail plea of Dr. Vinod Kumar Ranga on Monday, August 17. The following day, Tuesday, August 18, Special Judge Vidya Prakash granted four-week interim bail on medical grounds to Dr. Vatsala Aggarwal, who cited health issues including hypertension, diabetes, palpitations, and a spinal injury. The court clarified that the interim bail was granted purely on humanitarian grounds without entering into the merits of the case.
The case stems from a complaint by the Vigilance Department, which was converted into a formal First Information Report (F.I.R.) on June 2. The matter involves allegations of massive fund manipulation in medicines and medical equipment procurements, as well as severe irregularities in the tendering process.
The first arrest in the case occurred on June 18. Medicine supplier and key accused Rajiv Rangeela fled India after obtaining anticipatory bail in a separate extortion case. In his bail application, Dr. Ranga claimed that Rangeela’s disappearance adversely impacted the probe, arguing further that all decisions at the CPA level were implemented only after approval from then DGHS head Dr. Vatsala Aggarwal.
According to the report submitted by the ACB to the court, the accused colluded to form a cartel during the tender process to grant undue favors to preferred companies. Turnover and experience criteria were set abnormally high to exclude other competing bidders. Furthermore, payments to other vendors were withheld for nearly two years.
The probe uncovered methods of financial manipulation where government funds were transferred into thousands of bank accounts having no direct connection with the supply process of DGHS or CPA. From these accounts, crores of rupees were either withdrawn in cash or routed elsewhere, resulting in the embezzlement of ₹700 crore in public funds. The ACB continues its probe into the matter.
