Three retired health officials arrested by Vigilance in Puducherry

Puducherry, Oct 29 (PTI) The VAC wing of Puducherry on Wednesday said it arrested three retired health department officials for "procuring substandard medicines" and medical equipment.

The purchases were meant for primary health centres and government hospitals in the union territory in 2018.

Police identified the officials as former director of Health and Family Welfare Services K V Raman, former mission director of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) S Mohan Kumar, and deputy director-project manager of NRHM, Allirani.

According to officials, a detailed investigation was launched following complaints received from the officer on special duty in the department of health and family welfare services at the time.

The probe revealed "gross violations of norms for the purchase of medicines and medical equipment" supplied to government healthcare facilities across the union territory.

Cases were registered under Sections 409 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code, and relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption wing said it has also arrested several others, including officials of the companies that supplied the "substandard medicines and equipment." The alleged irregularities in procurement are estimated to have caused a loss of around Rs 2 crore to the government, police said.

All the accused were produced in a local court and remanded to judicial custody. They have been lodged in the central prison at Kalapet, police added. PTI COR SSK