Saurabh Bharadwaj Questions Vatsala Agarwal Appointment After ACB Arrest

Delhi Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) president Saurabh Bharadwaj has questioned the August 2025 appointment of Dr. Vatsala Agarwal as the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) at the Delhi State Cancer Institute. The move comes immediately after Dr. Agarwal's arrest by the Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in connection with an alleged multi-crore health procurement scam.

The ACB arrested Dr. Agarwal on Saturday following allegations of a major procurement scam. The ongoing investigation concerns the irregular procurement of essential medicines, surgical items, and critical medical equipment within the Delhi health administration.

Following the arrest, Bharadwaj took to the social media platform X to criticize the circumstances surrounding her initial appointment. According to the AAP leader, Dr. Agarwal was appointed to the top health post by the BJP government in August 2025, despite the fact that a formal vigilance inquiry into corruption allegations was already pending against her.

Bharadwaj stated that he had previously flagged the appointment, calling it "against norms" and noting that highly senior doctors were overlooked to facilitate her placement. "Dr. Vatsala Agarwal was appointed to this position when a vigilance inquiry was pending," Bharadwaj said on Sunday, pointing out the irregularities in the process.

In June 2026, the Delhi government officially transferred Dr. Agarwal from her role to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital. Following her transfer, the charge of Director was handed over to the Medical Superintendent of Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital, who will manage the additional health department responsibilities alongside her existing duties.

The arrest and subsequent political fallout have triggered a direct confrontation between the AAP and the BJP regarding corruption, vigilance clearances, and the integrity of senior administrative appointments in Delhi's public health sector.