Delhi ACB Arrests Former DGHS Dr Vatsala Aggarwal in Alleged Procurement Scam
The Delhi government’s Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) has arrested former Director General of Health Services Dr. Vatsala Aggarwal in connection with an alleged procurement scam involving medicines, surgical items, and medical equipment in Delhi. The arrest on Saturday has triggered a sharp political confrontation between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over corruption and appointment procedures.
Prior to the arrest of Dr. Aggarwal, the ACB apprehended another senior official, Dr. Vijay Kumar Ranga, in relation to the same procurement case. Dr. Ranga was subsequently remanded in four-day police custody by a city court. Following these actions, both officials were suspended from their positions.
The arrests have led to an intense political dispute. On Sunday, Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj raised objections over the appointment of Dr. Aggarwal as the Director General of Health Services in 2025. Mr. Bharadwaj stated that her appointment was "against norms" because a vigilance inquiry was already pending regarding appointments at the Delhi State Cancer Institute.
On Monday, the AAP intensified its attack, demanding a wider investigation into the alleged irregularities. The opposition party estimated the scale of the procurement scam to be around Rs 650 crore. Mr. Bharadwaj further alleged that the irregularities could not have been carried out by a single officer. He accused the Delhi government of centralising procurement processes to facilitate these purchases.
In response, Delhi BJP chief spokesperson Abhay Verma defended the government's actions on Monday. He stated that the Delhi government promptly initiated an investigation after receiving information about the alleged irregularities in the Health Department. According to Mr. Verma, the government acted immediately by suspending the officials involved, who have now been arrested.
Health Minister Pankaj Singh also refuted the AAP's allegations on Monday, calling them completely baseless. Speaking to reporters, Minister Singh clarified that Rs 650 crore was not even the total expenditure incurred in the entire procurement exercise. He added that further action would be taken once the official investigation report is submitted.
