New Delhi: Submitting that Rajiv Rangila, the alleged mastermind of the Rs 842-crore health procurement ‘scam’, used his domestic helps as directors of shell companies, was linked to the suicide of one such director and continued to obstruct the investigation by withholding crucial documents, the prosecution Tuesday opposed his bail plea before a Delhi court.Before special judge Vidya Prakash, senior additional public prosecutor Kumar Sanjay described Rangila as the “kingpin who manipulated public procurement processes in connivance with govt officials and siphoned off hundreds of crores”.The prosecution said Rangila created multiple front companies under dummy names while retaining actual ownership and control. Pointing to seven such “sham companies”, it said while he was the proprietor of F-Med, directors of his other firms were allegedly his domestic helps.“M Sahib & Sons Pvt Ltd was under directors Sunil Kumar and his father, both of them were his helps,” the prosecution stated, adding the companies operated from the same complex, with interconnected shops and offices allegedly controlled by him.The prosecution cited the suicide of one such director, in connection with which Rangila has been named in an FIR and charged with abetment of suicide. During the investigation, the deceased’s son told police Rangila had “fraudulently obtained his Aadhaar and other credentials and made him a director in a shell company that participated in linen supply bids”. The man allegedly died by suicide when police arrived at his residence to conduct a raid.Sanjay alleged Rangila arranged for manufacturers to issue certificates appointing his shell firms as their “authorised distributors” despite their lacking the requisite experience, turnover and performance credentials. He allegedly negotiated directly with manufacturers, fixed supply rates and pre-arranged cash kickbacks. He also prepared tender documents with “skewed, restrictive specifications in connivance with manufacturers to favour his firms” and handed them to co-accused Dr Vinod Kumar Ranga to push through tender committees, allegedly under threat of action, stated Sanjay. Officials who objected to tainted procurement files, including Radha Raman Singh, were allegedly taken to Rangila’s residence on his instructions and “intimidated”.Citing the X-ray procurement, the prosecution said F-Med supplied machines worth Rs 14.9 lakh for Rs 37.8 lakh each to Delhi govt after allegedly securing a tender for 448 machines despite not meeting its conditions. “He deliberately entered into bid, firstly through GeM, then the very same GeM process was abandoned to suit him,” the prosecution argued.It alleged manual purchase orders were issued on the same day while online bids continued to display “active” or “under process” status, with bills also being issued outside the GeM portal. The prosecution alleged hundreds of crores were transferred to shell companies after the DOV raid.Opposing bail, Sanjay said Rangila initially absconded after the raid and arrest of the co-accused, during which period he was also named in an FIR involving allegations of extortion. He faced proceedings under BNSS Section 84 before surrendering on Sept 24. The prosecutor argued Rangila remained a “potential threat” to the investigation and had been “non-cooperative” in furnishing proxy and backup copies of crucial documents allegedly withheld by him.Describing him as the “perpetrator of the crime and driver of the scam”, the prosecution argued he could still influence the investigation, rejecting the defence’s contention that the probe was complete and all documentary evidence was already with ACB.
