Overview
- The Anti‑Corruption Branch has registered an FIR and opened a criminal probe into alleged irregularities in Delhi health‑sector procurement after a vigilance complaint flagged price and process discrepancies.
- Investigators have arrested several senior officials in the case, including former DGHS head Dr Vatsala Aggarwal, who was taken into custody on Sunday, and other ex‑CPA officers have been sent to judicial custody.
- The vigilance complaint and FIR allege roughly Rs 600–700 crore in losses from inflated purchases with specific examples listed such as portable X‑ray machines bought at about Rs 33 lakh versus a ~Rs 10 lakh market price, ORS sachets paid at higher rates, overpriced bedsheets, and C‑arm equipment.
- The probe describes a pattern of misconduct that includes tailor‑made tender specifications, use of shell firms and a liaison or broker, manual awards outside the Government e‑Marketplace, and fast payments to favoured suppliers.
- Political pressure is growing with AAP and Delhi Congress demanding a wider CBI probe while the BJP rejects the stated totals and says internal vigilance action is under way; investigators are now examining tender files, payment records and company links and may trace assets or summon private individuals next.