The Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has filed a chargesheet alleging large-scale irregularities in the procurement of medicines and medical equipment for government hospitals. The agency has estimated that the alleged irregularities caused losses of approximately ₹842 crore to the public exchequer.
The chargesheet was filed on September 16 and names three government officials — Dr Vinod Kumar Ranga, Dr Vatsala Aggarwal and Neeraj Chopra — along with two companies, F-Med Devices and M Sahib and Sons Private Limited.
The ACB has also alleged that businessman Rajiv Rangila played a central role in manipulating procurement tenders to benefit companies linked to him. These allegations will be examined through the judicial process.
X-Ray Machine Procurement Under Investigation
One of the key allegations concerns the procurement of X-ray machines for government hospitals.
According to the ACB's chargesheet, a tender initially issued for two machines eventually resulted in an order for 448 units. The agency alleged that machines priced at ₹14.9 lakh each by the manufacturer were purchased by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) at ₹37.8 lakh per unit.
The difference between the reported manufacturer price and procurement price has become a major part of the investigation into possible financial irregularities.
Alleged Overpricing in Bedsheets and ORS Purchases
The chargesheet also highlights suspected inflated payments in the procurement of other hospital supplies.
According to the agency's claims:
Bedsheets and linen: Payments of ₹75 crore were allegedly made for supplies valued at approximately ₹25 crore.
ORS sachets: Products valued at ₹1.25 crore were reportedly procured for ₹7.5 crore.
Medicine purchases: The ACB has alleged that kickbacks amounting to ₹300 crore were generated through medicine procurement.
These figures form part of the agency's allegations and have not been established as proven financial losses by a court.
Tender Conditions and Missing Procurement Files
The ACB has further alleged that tender conditions were manipulated to restrict competition and favour selected suppliers. The chargesheet reportedly states that payments to certain companies were cleared within days, raising questions about the procurement approval process.
Another concern highlighted by investigators involves the reported disappearance of 10 important procurement files. According to the agency, the missing records affected the investigation and made it difficult to examine parts of the procurement process.
The allegations point to possible weaknesses in tender scrutiny, vendor selection, pricing checks and financial oversight within the public procurement system.
Raids, Arrests and Investigation Timeline
The alleged irregularities came to light in May after the Vigilance Department conducted raids at offices of the Central Procurement Agency.
Dr Vinod Kumar Ranga was arrested on June 18, followed by the arrest of Dr Vatsala Aggarwal, according to the report. The filing of the chargesheet marks a significant stage in the investigation, although the legal proceedings will determine the responsibility of each accused.
The chargesheet reportedly contains 123 documents and statements from 84 prosecution witnesses. A court has taken cognizance of the chargesheet, allowing the matter to proceed through the judicial process.
Public Procurement and Financial Accountability
The case has brought attention to the importance of transparent procurement systems, competitive tendering and proper documentation in government healthcare spending. Large-scale purchases of medicines and medical equipment require effective price verification, supplier checks and independent financial audits to help protect public funds.
Organisations seeking to strengthen procurement controls and review financial processes can explore internal audit services to assess documentation, approval procedures and financial accountability.