Delhi: Former DGHS procurement officer arrested in alleged graft case

The Delhi government Anti-Corruption Branch has arrested Dr Vinod Kumar Ranga, a senior officer formerly associated with the Directorate General of Health Services, in a corruption case involving procurement of medicines and other items, an official said on Friday.

According to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) statement, the arrest follows an investigation into the alleged large-scale irregularities in procurement carried out by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) of medicines, surgical items, consumables and medical equipment.

Dr Ranga is the former head of office of the CPA.

“A complaint from the Directorate of Vigilance alleged that certain public servants and private persons entered into a criminal conspiracy and manipulated procurement procedures, tender conditions and technical specifications in order to provide undue advantage to selected firms and suppliers, causing wrongful loss to government exchequer and corresponding wrongful gain to private persons,” the statement read.

Investigators alleged that the irregularities involved the procurement of portable X-ray machines, bed sheets and linen items, C-Arm radiological equipment, anaesthesia work stations, oral rehydration solution (ORS), surgical consumables and medicines at highly inflated rates.

It was further alleged that tailor-made specifications were framed to benefit selected suppliers, genuine competitors were excluded from the bidding process and government funds running into several hundred crores of rupees were misutilised.

“Based on the complaint, the ACB registered an FIR on June 2 under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and sections related to criminal conspiracy under the BNS. Officials examined procurement records, official documents and other evidence during the investigation,” it further read.

The probe revealed that several crucial procurement files related to the purchases under scrutiny were allegedly not made available by Dr Ranga, who reportedly kept them in his personal custody.

The ACB said Ranga was questioned during the investigation but failed to provide satisfactory explanations regarding the missing records and other material aspects of the case.

“His custodial interrogation was found necessary to recover the missing files, unearth the larger conspiracy, identify other beneficiaries and co-conspirators, to establish the money trail and recover incriminating documentary and electronic evidence,” the statement read.

Dr Ranga was arrested by the ACB on Thursday and was produced before a court on Friday, which has granted four-day police custody.

“The role of other public servants, private persons, suppliers and beneficiaries involved in the alleged conspiracy is also being examined. Further investigation is in progress,” officials said.