Delhi Health Secretary Rupesh Kumar Thakur has been removed from his post amid an ongoing Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) investigation into an alleged ₹700-crore medicine and medical equipment procurement scam.
According to officials, senior IAS officer Prashant Goyal has been given additional charge of the Health Department as Additional Chief Secretary (ACS).
The administrative change comes weeks after Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh sought an explanation from Thakur over complaints linked to the procurement of medicines and surgical equipment for government hospitals.
Show-Cause Notice Issued
Thakur was also issued a show-cause notice over the alleged failure to submit an action plan for pending procurement of medicines, medical consumables and equipment despite repeated directions.
The matter is connected to a 2024 FIR that named 13 companies over allegations of supplying substandard materials to six Delhi government hospitals. A fresh complaint had alleged that some of these companies were still involved in supplying surgical items to government hospitals.
The allegations are currently under investigation, and no final finding of guilt has been established against the individuals or companies involved.
Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle
The Delhi government has also made several other changes in the administration.
Awanish Kumar, a 2014-batch officer serving as Director of Training and Technical Education and Higher Education, has been appointed Commissioner of Excise. The change comes ahead of the expected rollout of the new excise policy.
Bipul Pathak, a 1992-batch officer, has been given additional charge as Financial Commissioner while continuing in his existing departments.
Prashant Goyal has also been relieved of his charge as ACS, Food and Civil Supplies. Navin Kumar Chaudhary has been given additional responsibility for the Food and Civil Supplies Department.
Transport Secretary Niharika Rai has been given additional charge as Chairman and Managing Director of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).
Our Final Thoughts
The removal of the Delhi Health Secretary comes at a time when the alleged medical procurement irregularities are under investigation. The government’s administrative reshuffle also places new responsibilities on several senior officers.
The outcome of the ACB investigation will be important in establishing whether any wrongdoing occurred and fixing responsibility, if violations are found.
TheTrendingPeople.com will continue to track developments in the Delhi medical procurement case.