E-Paper
Vigilance notice to DSCI over ‘illegal’ recruitment during ex-director’s tenure
The Directorate of Vigilance has issued a notice to the Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI) over the appointment of an assistant professor during the tenure of Dr Vatsala Aggarwal as the institute’s director
The Directorate of Vigilance has issued a notice to the Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI) over the appointment of an assistant professor during the tenure of Dr Vatsala Aggarwal as the institute’s director.
“You (DSCI) are requested to take necessary action in the matter and provide the action taken report/factual report… positively for submission to the central vigilance commission,” read the July 1 notice, seen by HT. “You are requested to submit the action report immediately,” it added.
A notice was earlier sent on August 22, 2025, to the DSCI over the appointment following a complaint by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Somnath Bharti, alleging that recruitment rules were manipulated to favour certain candidates. In the complaint dated June 10, 2025, he argued that the post for which the appointment was made did not exist earlier.
HT reached out to DSCI but had not received a response at the time of going to press.
According to officials, who do not wish to be named, the vacancy was framed in a manner that favoured a particular candidate and notified without the approval of the governing council or the chief secretary of the Delhi government.
Dr Aggarwal was appointed as the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) in August 2025. The appointment follows the voluntary retirement of Dr Rati Makkar, who had held the post for only about three months. Dr Aggarwal is currently under arrest in connection with the alleged irregularities in the procurement of equipment and medicines.
