Kerala VACB to probe Ayurveda hospital furniture purchases under Vijayan govt
Synopsis
Kerala Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has ordered the VACB to investigate furniture purchases at government Ayurveda hospitals under the previous Vijayan government — including ₹11.45 lakh in purchases at a Kannur hospital before its building was even ready. It is the third major health-sector probe since May, following KMSCL bleaching powder and medical equipment investigations totalling potential losses of crores.
Key Takeaways
Muraleedharan on 19 October 2026 ordered the VACB to probe furniture purchases at government Ayurveda hospitals under the Vijayan government .
The probe will primarily focus on P.R.
Saji , former State Programme Manager of the National AYUSH Mission .
Furniture worth ₹11.45 lakh was reportedly purchased for a Kannur hospital before its building was completed.
Alleged irregularities also detected at hospitals in Mattannur , Chalakudy , and Venganoor .
Earlier probes cover KMSCL bleaching powder purchases (potential loss: ₹7.32 crore ), unused medical equipment, and financial irregularities at Oushadhi .
This is the latest in a series of health-sector investigations since the Satheesan government took office in May 2026 .
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) in Kerala has been ordered to investigate alleged irregularities in furniture purchases for government Ayurveda hospitals made during the Pinarayi Vijayan government's tenure — the latest in a growing series of procurement probes initiated by Health Minister K. Muraleedharan since the V.D. Satheesan-led government assumed office in May 2026. The minister issued the order on Monday, 19 October, overruling a recommendation by the Health Department Principal Secretary that a Finance Department enquiry would be sufficient.
What Triggered the Latest Probe
The investigation will primarily focus on P.R. Saji, the former State Programme Manager of the National AYUSH Mission. According to reports, furniture worth ₹11.45 lakh was purchased for the Government Ayurveda Hospital in Pinarayi, Kannur, before the hospital building itself had been completed — a sequence that raises questions about procurement intent and oversight.
Alleged irregularities in large-scale furniture purchases have also been detected at government Ayurveda hospitals in Mattannur, Chalakudy, and Venganoor, reportedly in violation of prescribed procurement rules. The minister's decision to elevate the matter from a departmental inquiry to a VACB investigation signals an intent to pursue findings with greater statutory authority.
A Pattern of Escalating Scrutiny
The furniture probe is part of a widening review of health-sector procurement under the previous administration. In July 2026, Muraleedharan ordered a comprehensive departmental enquiry into major medical equipment purchases made by the Health Department over the past 10 years. That probe was triggered by reports of expensive equipment — including mobile mortuaries — lying unused at government hospitals and medical colleges. It covers purchases made using Plan funds and the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), as well as equipment supplied by the Centre during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In August 2026, the minister referred alleged irregularities in the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited's (KMSCL) purchase of bleaching powder — involving a reported potential unnecessary expenditure of ₹7.32 crore — to the Vigilance Bureau after an earlier departmental enquiry was deemed inadequate. Separately, a Vigilance enquiry was also sought into alleged financial irregularities, construction contracts, and procurement discrepancies at Oushadhi, the state-owned Ayurvedic pharmaceutical company.
Political and Accountability Dimensions
The successive probes represent a deliberate pattern by the Satheesan government of reviewing public expenditure and procurement decisions taken under the Left Democratic Front (LDF) dispensation. Critics within the opposition have accused the government of using investigative machinery for political purposes, while the ruling side maintains that the probes are driven by documented evidence of financial irregularities.
Notably, this is not the first time Kerala's health procurement ecosystem has faced scrutiny — the state's large-scale medicine and equipment procurement network has historically been flagged by audit reports for procedural lapses.
What Happens Next
The VACB's findings in the furniture purchase case will determine whether the lapses constitute procedural violations or financial misconduct, and who, if anyone, should be held accountable. The broader arc of health-sector probes — spanning equipment, medicines, and now furniture — is likely to generate continued political friction as findings emerge in the months ahead.
Point of View
Bleaching powder, unused mortuaries, Oushadhi — suggests a systematic post-election audit strategy rather than a response to any single whistleblower or audit flag. What is striking is the minister's repeated rejection of internal departmental enquiries in favour of VACB referrals, a choice that signals either genuine concern about the independence of departmental probes or a desire to keep political pressure on the previous administration alive. The real accountability test will come when VACB findings are made public: if the lapses remain procedural and no prosecutions follow, the probes risk looking more like political theatre than governance reform. Kerala's health procurement ecosystem has long been flagged by the Comptroller and Auditor General — the question is whether this government will do what previous ones did not: convert findings into consequences.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the VACB been ordered to probe Kerala's Ayurveda hospital furniture purchases?
The VACB probe was ordered by Health Minister K. Muraleedharan on 19 October 2026 after alleged irregularities were found in furniture purchases at several government Ayurveda hospitals during the Pinarayi Vijayan government's tenure. Notably, furniture worth ₹11.45 lakh was purchased at a Kannur hospital before its building was even completed, and similar lapses were detected in Mattannur, Chalakudy, and Venganoor.
Who is the primary focus of the VACB investigation?
The probe will primarily focus on P.R. Saji, the former State Programme Manager of the National AYUSH Mission, according to the minister's order. The investigation will examine whether procurement rules were violated and whether financial misconduct occurred.
What other health-sector probes has Minister Muraleedharan ordered?
Since May 2026, Muraleedharan has ordered at least three major probes. In July, he ordered a 10-year review of medical equipment purchases, including costly items like mobile mortuaries lying unused. In August, he referred KMSCL's bleaching powder purchases — involving a potential unnecessary spend of ₹7.32 crore — to the Vigilance Bureau, and also sought a probe into Oushadhi, the state Ayurvedic pharmaceutical company.
Why did the minister reject a Finance Department enquiry in favour of the VACB?
Minister Muraleedharan overruled a recommendation by the Health Department Principal Secretary that a Finance Department enquiry would suffice, opting instead for the VACB — which carries greater statutory authority to pursue financial misconduct. The decision suggests the government views the irregularities as potentially serious enough to require independent investigative oversight.
What is the significance of these probes for Kerala politics?
The successive investigations represent a broad audit of health-sector procurement decisions made under the previous Left Democratic Front government. The findings, once available, will determine whether those decisions involved procedural lapses or financial misconduct — and could have significant political consequences for leaders and officials associated with the Vijayan administration.
