A former head of the central procurement agency of Delhi’s directorate-general of health services was arrested on Thursday over alleged irregularities in the procurement of medicines, surgical items, consumables, medical equipment, and surgical items, the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) said on Friday.
Vinod Kumar Ranga, the accused, was produced before a Delhi court on Friday and sent to four-day police custody. The ACB booked Ranga under the Prevention of Corruption Act on June 2, said ACB joint commissioner Vikramjit Singh.
Singh said a first information report was registered in the case based on the Directorate of Vigilance’s complaint regarding the alleged irregularities. “It was alleged that certain public servants and private persons entered into a criminal conspiracy and manipulated procurement processes, tender conditions, and technical specifications to provide undue advantage to selected firms and suppliers, causing loss to the government exchequer and corresponding wrongful gain to private persons,” said Singh.
ACB officials said the allegations related to the procurement of portable X-ray machines, bed-sheets, linen, C-Arm radiological equipment, anaesthesia workstations, oral rehydration solution, and medicines at highly inflated rates through allegedly manipulated procurement processes.
Tailor-made specifications were allegedly framed to favour selected suppliers, and genuine competitors were excluded from the bidding process. Hundred crores of rupees were allegedly misused.
Ranga allegedly kept files related to the procurement in his personal custody. “He failed to provide satisfactory explanations regarding the missing records and other material aspects of the case. His custodial interrogation is necessary to recover the missing files, unearth the larger conspiracy, identify other beneficiaries and co-conspirators, establish the money trail, and recover incriminating documentary and electronic evidence. Accordingly, Ranga was arrested,” said Singh.
ACB officials said the role of other public servants, private persons, suppliers, and beneficiaries involved in the alleged conspiracy was being examined.
