ACB nails two health officials in Rs 1-crore scam

The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi government has registered two cases against the officials of an agency under Department of Health and Family Welfare for causing loss of Rs 1 crore to the exchequer in purchase of medical items.

The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi government has registered two cases against the officials of an agency under Department of Health and Family Welfare for causing loss of Rs 1 crore to the exchequer in purchase of medical items.

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The ACB registered the two cases pertaining to offences in 2009-10 and 2010-11 against officials from Central Procurement Agency under the Directorate of Health Services. The FIRs also mention people from private supplier companies.

The health department had received a complaint regarding cheating by the supplier and a distributor company in supply of sterile gloves and suture material purchased for Delhi government hospitals during 2009-10 and 2010-11. Once the irregularity was found, the health department suspended two top officials from the procurement agency.

The ACB inquiry also found out that even when cheaper options were available, surgical gloves were purchased at up to four to five times higher than the usual rate. “Two separate cases were registered for irregularities in purchases,” said an ACB official. Those named in the FIRs, registered last month, include health department’s Dr Sarvesh Bhattacharjee and Dr DS Rao apart from private persons from supplier companies.