Delhi court issues mixed bail rulings in Rs 700 crore medical procurement scam

A Rouse Avenue court in New Delhi is processing bail applications related to an alleged Rs 700 crore medical procurement scam involving the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and the Central Procurement Agency (CPA).

The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) registered the case following allegations of irregularities in the procurement of medicines, surgical items, and medical equipment. The investigation suggests that procurement processes were manipulated to purchase supplies at highly inflated rates, resulting in significant losses to the government exchequer.

In recent developments, the court dismissed the bail plea of Dr. Vinod Kumar Ranga, the former in-charge of the Central Procurement Agency. Conversely, the court granted four weeks of interim bail on medical grounds to the former Director General of Health Services, Dr. Vatsala Aggarwal. Her counsel cited her age and various ailments as grounds for the interim relief, while prosecutors opposed the move, arguing the ailments were age-related.