All 448 portable X-ray machines, meant to be installed at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and 24 TB Centres across Delhi, are yet to be commissioned
The alleged ₹650-crore corruption case involving the Delhi government’s Central Procurement Agency (CPA) has exposed what investigators believe was a pattern of manipulating multiple tenders, including those for portable X-ray machines and the hiring of radiographers, raising concerns over its impact on the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP).The matter has now reached the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which has sought details of the case from the Delhi government and asked whether the alleged irregularities have affected the implementation of the national TB elimination programme, according to officials.Investigators allege that CPA officials, who are now in judicial custody, floated a tender for the procurement of only two portable X-ray machines but used it to purchase 448 machines at more than three times their market price through a pre-selected distributor after manipulating the bidding process.Radiographers HiringOfficials also allege that a similar modus operandi was followed in the hiring of radiographers. The tender was floated for the hiring of a single radiographer, but before the procurement process for the X-ray machines was even completed, the contract for deploying 448 radiographers was allegedly awarded to M/s F Med Devices, owned by Rajiv Rangila, on behalf of manufacturer M/s Prognosis.Months later, the entire procurement remains stalled.All 448 portable X-ray machines, meant to be installed at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and 24 TB Centres across Delhi, are yet to be commissioned. Installation is pending and mandatory clearances from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) have not been completed, officials said.The 448 radiographers hired under the same incomplete tender have also gone unpaid despite completing a month of work. Their deployment contract was awarded to an agency named Red Mamba.Procurement ProcessHealth department officials have also raised concerns over the qualifications and competency of the personnel supplied by the agency, adding another layer of scrutiny to the procurement process.A senior health department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said district TB officers had flagged concerns over the competency of radiographers deployed by Red Mamba for mobile chest X-ray clinics under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.“Concerns were raised by some district TB officers regarding the competency of the radiographers provided by the Red Mamba agency, for which CPA and the agency were contacted via email. However, no response was received. The same matter was placed before the competent authority for further action as per the GeM contract. The matter is under process by the competent authority,” the official said.Some of the radiographers have also written to the Central TB Division alleging that they were illegally removed from service.In their complaint, they alleged that radiographers had been “illegally suspended, removed from duty, or prevented from performing their assigned responsibilities without any written notice, show-cause notice, inquiry, or valid justification.”Manipulated Tenders“Such arbitrary actions are not only against the principles of natural justice but also adversely affect the implementation of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and disrupt essential diagnostic services being provided to the public,” the complaint said.The corruption case relates to the Central Procurement Agency under Delhi’s Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), which is responsible for procuring medicines, medical equipment and consumables for Delhi government hospitals. The agency was created to centralise procurement and secure better prices through bulk purchases, but investigators allege officials manipulated tenders to favour selected suppliers at inflated rates.According to the FIR, one of the key examples was the procurement of portable X-ray machines. Investigators allege that although the tender uploaded on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal mentioned the purchase of only two machines, it was always intended that 448 machines would ultimately be procured. The complaint alleges that this was done to limit competition and ensure participation by only a few bidders.FIR AllegationsThe FIR alleges that Rajiv Rangila’s firm, F-MED Devices, became the authorised distributor of manufacturer Prognosis before the tender process and eventually emerged as the sole technically qualified bidder. The Delhi government subsequently placed an order for 448 portable X-ray machines manufactured by Prognosis.Investigators allege that while the same model had been supplied to other government departments for around ₹10 lakh per machine, the Delhi government purchased them for approximately ₹33 lakh each, resulting in an alleged excess payment of over ₹100 crore.The FIR also alleges that tender specifications were tailored to suit selected bidders, rival firms were disqualified during technical evaluation without valid reasons and purchase orders were issued manually while the online tender continued to remain active on the GeM portal, concealing the award from competing bidders.Investigators further allege that when a Directorate of Vigilance team sought records related to the procurement during a visit to the CPA office in May this year, officials said the relevant file was in the custody of Dr Vinod Kumar Ranga, Head of Office, CPA, and could not be produced because he was unavailable. Later, officials reportedly submitted a written statement saying they did not know the file’s whereabouts.Published on July 31, 2026
