Delhi ACB arrests ex-CPA chief in ₹650 crore drugs procurement scam
Synopsis
Delhi's ACB has arrested the former head of the Central Procurement Agency in a ₹650 crore drugs procurement scam — a case that has already triggered the transfer of over 40 government health personnel. With missing files allegedly held in personal custody and a court-ordered four-day remand, investigators are now chasing a money trail that could implicate suppliers, doctors, and officials across Delhi's public health system.
Key Takeaways
Delhi ACB arrested Dr Vinod Kumar Ranga , former head of the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) , on 19 June in a ₹650 crore drugs procurement scam.
A court remanded Dr Ranga to four days of police custody for interrogation and recovery of missing files.
Files related to procurement of portable X-ray machines, radiological equipment, anaesthesia workstations, surgical consumables , and medicines were allegedly kept in his personal custody.
The Delhi government transferred more than 40 CPA personnel following the scam's exposure.
The case was registered on the instructions of the Delhi Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister ; other public servants and suppliers remain under scrutiny.
Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Friday, 19 June arrested Dr Vinod Kumar Ranga, former head of the Central Procurement Agency (CPA), in connection with an alleged ₹650 crore scam involving the illegal procurement of medicines, surgical items, consumables, and medical equipment from government health facilities in the capital.
The Arrest and Court Remand
Dr Ranga was produced before a court on Friday, which remanded him to four days of police custody for further interrogation. The ACB, in its custody plea, stated that the arrest was necessary to recover missing files, unearth a larger conspiracy, identify other beneficiaries and co-conspirators, establish the money trail, and recover incriminating documentary and electronic evidence.
During the investigation, the ACB found that Dr Ranga had failed to provide satisfactory answers regarding missing records and had allegedly kept files related to the procurement of portable X-ray machines, bedsheets, radiological equipment, anaesthesia workstations, surgical consumables, and medicines in his personal custody.
How the Scam Came to Light
The ₹650 crore drugs procurement scam came to the fore earlier this month, when alleged irregularities in the procurement of drugs and medical equipment by the CPA were flagged. The case was registered at the instructions of the Delhi Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister. The revelations brought numerous doctors and medical staff under the scanner of probing agencies.
The CPA, which functions under the Department of Health and Family Welfare, is the nodal body responsible for procuring and supplying medicines and essential healthcare materials to government hospitals and health facilities across the capital.
Government's Response and Transfers
Following the scam's exposure, the Delhi government transferred more than 40 personnel associated with the CPA in a bid to enhance transparency in the health sector. The sweeping transfers signal the scale of the alleged irregularities and the administration's intent to prevent further evidence tampering.
What Comes Next
The ACB has confirmed that the roles of other public servants, suppliers, and beneficiaries allegedly involved in the conspiracy remain under active scrutiny. With Dr Ranga now in custody, investigators are expected to press for disclosure of the missing files and trace the financial trail. The four-day police remand sets the stage for a broader crackdown on what authorities describe as a systemic failure in public health procurement.
Point of View
But the deeper question is systemic: how did alleged irregularities worth ₹650 crore go undetected long enough to require a political directive — from both the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister — before a case was even registered? The transfer of 40-plus personnel suggests the problem was not confined to one individual. If the missing files were indeed held in personal custody, that points to deliberate concealment rather than administrative lapse. The real test for the ACB is whether it can follow the money trail to private suppliers and political beneficiaries, or whether the inquiry stalls at the bureaucratic level — as procurement scam investigations in Delhi have tended to do in the past.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dr Vinod Kumar Ranga and why was he arrested?
Dr Vinod Kumar Ranga is the former head of Delhi's Central Procurement Agency (CPA), the body that supplies medicines and medical equipment to government health facilities in the capital. He was arrested by the Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch on 19 June over alleged involvement in a ₹650 crore scam involving illegal procurement of medicines, surgical items, consumables, and medical equipment.
What is the ₹650 crore Delhi drugs procurement scam?
The scam involves alleged irregularities in the procurement of drugs and medical equipment by the CPA, which came to light earlier in June 2025. A case was registered at the directions of the Delhi Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister, and the probe has brought multiple doctors and medical staff under scrutiny.
Why was Dr Ranga remanded to police custody?
A Delhi court remanded Dr Ranga to four days of police custody after the ACB argued that custodial interrogation was needed to recover missing procurement files, identify co-conspirators and beneficiaries, establish the money trail, and secure documentary and electronic evidence. Dr Ranga had allegedly kept files related to X-ray machines, radiological equipment, and surgical consumables in his personal custody.
What action has the Delhi government taken so far?
Following the scam's exposure, the Delhi government transferred more than 40 personnel associated with the CPA to improve transparency in the health sector. The ACB has also confirmed that the roles of other public servants, suppliers, and beneficiaries remain under active investigation.
What is the Central Procurement Agency (CPA)?
The CPA is a body functioning under Delhi's Department of Health and Family Welfare, responsible for procuring and distributing medicines and essential healthcare materials to government hospitals and health facilities across the capital. It is now at the centre of the ₹650 crore procurement scam investigation.
