New Link Officers to Handle DGHS Administrative and Financial Work Following Procurement Scam Probe
In the latest development, the Delhi Government has appointed three senior health officials to manage the routine functioning of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) following the arrest of the former DGHS Director in an alleged multi-crore procurement scam.
According to an order issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department, the Medical Director of Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital has been appointed as the first link officer for the DGHS Director. The Medical Superintendent of Dr Hedgewar Arogya Sansthan and the Medical Superintendent of Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital have been designated as the second and third link officers, respectively, reports PTI.
Issued in supersession of an earlier order, the directive states that the three officers will handle the routine administrative and financial responsibilities of the DGHS Director with immediate effect.
The order further clarifies that the additional charge will be performed alongside their existing responsibilities and will not entitle the officers to any additional remuneration.
The appointments follow the removal of the former DGHS Director from office in May and her subsequent arrest by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in connection with alleged large-scale financial irregularities involving procurements worth several hundred crore rupees by the Central Procurement Agency operating under the DGHS.
Following her arrest, she was suspended pending disciplinary proceedings.
During proceedings before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), the former DGHS Director challenged her transfer, claiming that she had fully cooperated with vigilance officials during the investigation. She also stated that she had sought duplicate “shadow files” to ensure continuity of procurement-related work.
Earlier, Medical Dialogues reported that two more former senior health officials were remanded to judicial custody till July 7 as the Anti-Corruption Branch intensified its investigation into the alleged procurement irregularities involving medicines, medical equipment, and healthcare supplies for Delhi government hospitals.
