Rajasthan ACB files 5,000-page chargesheet in 2016 NHM tender scam
Synopsis
Nearly a decade after raids in May 2016, Rajasthan's ACB has filed a 5,000-page supplementary chargesheet in the NHM tender scam — naming an IAS officer, a government accountant, and alleged middlemen. An absconding accused surrendered the same day, while a key contractor remains under investigation. The case exposes a structured 17% bribery arrangement allegedly built into public health procurement.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan's ACB filed a 5,000-page supplementary chargesheet before ACB Court-1, Jaipur in the alleged 2016 NHM tender scam .
Five accused named, including then NHM Director and IAS officer Neeraj K.
Pawan , accountant Joji Varghese , Assistant Accounts Officer Deepa Gupta , and alleged middlemen Ajit Soni and Sunil Rathore .
Accused Sunil Rathore , long absconding, surrendered before the court on the day the chargesheet was filed.
The alleged scam involves the Aarogya Rath initiative, with health chariots reportedly existing only on paper; estimated loss exceeds ₹1 crore .
Investigators allege a 17% commission structure — 5% to secure the tender, 12% to clear bills — was extracted from contractor firms.
Investigation into accused Surendra Singh of firm Surendra Electrotech is still ongoing, according to the ACB.
Rajasthan's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has filed a supplementary chargesheet of approximately 5,000 pages before ACB Court-1 in Jaipur, naming five accused in connection with the alleged 2016 National Health Mission (NHM) tender scam. The chargesheet includes then NHM Director and IAS officer Neeraj K. Pawan among the accused, marking a significant escalation in a case that has been under investigation for nearly a decade.
Key Developments in the Case
Shortly after the chargesheet was filed, accused Sunil Rathore, who had been absconding for an extended period, surrendered before the court. ACB Special Public Prosecutor B.S. Chauhan confirmed that investigation against another accused, Surendra Singh, remains ongoing.
The five accused named in the supplementary chargesheet are: Neeraj K. Pawan (then NHM Director), accountant Joji Varghese, Assistant Accounts Officer Deepa Gupta, and alleged middlemen Ajit Soni and Sunil Rathore.
What the Alleged Scam Involved
The case centres on alleged irregularities in the Aarogya Rath initiative, a government-run programme launched to publicise Health Department schemes using mobile health chariots. According to investigators, the health chariots shown as operational in 2016 existed largely on paper, with allegedly forged documentation used to claim payments.
The scam is estimated to involve more than ₹1 crore. Investigators allege that the primary contract for the Aarogya Rath project was awarded to Surendra Singh's firm, Surendra Electrotech, and that payments were obtained using fabricated documents.
Alleged Bribery Structure
According to the ACB's findings, a 17 per cent commission was allegedly collected from contractor firms — comprising 5 per cent as a bribe to secure the tender and 12 per cent to facilitate bill clearances. These allegations, if proven, point to a structured corruption arrangement embedded within the procurement process.
Background and Prior Action
The ACB had conducted raids at 18 locations in May 2016, covering the residences and offices of senior officials. The court granted sanction for the prosecution of Neeraj K. Pawan in 2021, five years after the initial raids — a timeline that reflects the complexity of building a case against a serving IAS officer.
With the supplementary chargesheet now before the court and investigation into Surendra Singh's role continuing, the case is expected to move toward trial proceedings in the coming months.
Point of View
000-page chargesheet nearly nine years after the original raids underscores a persistent structural problem: corruption cases involving senior bureaucrats move at a pace that tests public confidence in accountability. The court's 2021 sanction for prosecuting a sitting IAS officer was itself a milestone, yet the trial has not begun. The Aarogya Rath case is also a reminder that welfare-scheme procurement — often low-scrutiny and high-volume — remains a vulnerability in state health administration. Until sentencing timelines in ACB cases shorten materially, the deterrent effect of such chargesheets remains limited.
NationPress
22 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 2016 NHM tender scam in Rajasthan?
The 2016 NHM tender scam involves alleged irregularities in the Aarogya Rath initiative, a Rajasthan Health Department programme that deployed mobile health chariots to publicise government schemes. Investigators allege that the chariots shown as operational in 2016 existed largely on paper, and that forged documents were used to claim payments, with the estimated loss exceeding ₹1 crore.
Who are the accused named in the ACB chargesheet?
The five accused named are then NHM Director and IAS officer Neeraj K. Pawan, accountant Joji Varghese, Assistant Accounts Officer Deepa Gupta, and alleged middlemen Ajit Soni and Sunil Rathore. Investigation into a sixth person, contractor Surendra Singh of Surendra Electrotech, is still continuing.
What is the significance of Sunil Rathore's surrender?
Sunil Rathore, one of the accused who had been absconding for a prolonged period, surrendered before ACB Court-1 in Jaipur on the same day the supplementary chargesheet was filed. His surrender is expected to facilitate trial proceedings against the named accused.
What was the alleged bribery structure in the scam?
According to the ACB's investigation, a 17 per cent commission was allegedly collected from contractor firms — 5 per cent as a bribe to secure the tender and 12 per cent to get bills cleared. Investigators allege payments were obtained using forged documents.
What happens next in the case?
The 5,000-page supplementary chargesheet is now before ACB Court-1 in Jaipur. Investigation into Surendra Singh's role is ongoing, according to ACB Special Public Prosecutor B.S. Chauhan. The case is expected to move toward trial proceedings once the court takes cognisance of the chargesheet.
