Chennai: Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has registered a case against four former officials of the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (ESI) for irregularities in the procurement of allopathy, siddha and ayurvedic medicines during 2013-14 and 2014-15.According to an FIR by Chennai City Special Unit-III of DVAC, four officials, including former director of medical and rural health services (ESI) Dr M Raju, former superintendent of the store section G Jeeva and former assistant officials M Rakesh and N Nagalingam, were booked under the Prevention Of Corruption Act, 1988, for causing a loss of ₹1.59 crore to the exchequer.The action followed a preliminary inquiry initiated on the basis of a communication from Director of Medical and Rural Health Services. The inquiry found that medicines had been purchased in violation of prescribed procurement procedures, at a cost higher than the Running Rate Contract or from Tamil Nadu Medicinal Plant Farms & Herbal Medicine Corporation Ltd (Tampcol).According to the FIR, the department bought 60,000 rub and oil in 2013-2014, at a cost of ₹195 per 100ml. The actual cost was ₹64. The difference was ₹131, causing a loss of ₹78.60 lakhs.Similarly, in another procurement in 2014-15, the officials procured 9,500 bottles of 100ml at ₹185 each when it was ₹64. The difference was ₹121, causing a loss of ₹11.49 lakhs. Prices of liver tonic of 300ml were also inflated by ₹126, leading to a loss of ₹69 lakhs.The preliminary inquiry said the officials issued purchase orders without adhering to the prescribed procedures and without securing the required approvals and no-objection certificates.
