New Delhi: A Delhi court Monday dismissed the bail plea of Central Procurement Agency (CPA) official Vinod Kumar Ranga in the alleged Rs 700-crore medical procurement scam, with special judge Vidya Prakash citing the early stage of the investigation and the seriousness of the allegations.Ranga’s defence had argued he had been in custody for over 50 days and should not be made to suffer for investigative delays caused by alleged co-conspirators, who were absconding. It submitted that the prosecution had already seized the relevant documentary evidence and that his release would, therefore, not prejudice the investigation.Opposing the plea, the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) pointed to the “nascent stage” of the probe and the scale of the alleged financial loss, arguing continued custody was warranted. It also submitted that the absence of absconding pharmaceutical trader Rajiv Rangila, described as a key alleged link in the supply chain, could hamper the investigation. The prosecution also relied on a pending financial intelligence unit analysis to oppose bail.The court listed for Tuesday the bail plea of the co-accused, former Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Dr Vatsala Aggarwal. The order on her plea had been reserved after her counsel submitted her medical condition had deteriorated and she remained hospitalised during the intervening night of Aug 16 and 17.ACB has alleged the procurement process was manipulated to facilitate purchases at inflated prices, causing wrongful loss to the exchequer. It has examined the roles of officials involved in the procurement process and their alleged links with private individuals. On June 2, a case was registered under Section 7A of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, read with BNS Section 61(2), and Ranga and Aggarwal subsequently arrested by ACB.
