Himachal Pradesh health services director arrested in corruption case, suspended

The vigilance and anti-corruption bureau of Himachal Pradesh has arrested director of health services Ajay Kumar Gupta in an alleged corruption case, following which the state government suspended him, officials said on Thursday. Gupta was arrested by the State Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB) late on Wednesday night under the Prevention of Corruption Act, bureau superintendent of police (SP) Shalini Agnihotri said.

He was arrested after a 43-second audio recording went viral in which he purportedly asks the other person for a bribe of Rs 5 lakh, the officials said. Gupta has been placed under suspension by the state government after his arrest, a senior official said. He was produced before a court on Thursday. The court remanded to five-day judicial custody.

Agnihotri told PTI that later, Gupta was admitted to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) here. During his medical check-up, doctors at the hospital found his diabetes and blood pressure levels abnormal. Agnihotri, who also heads the bureau's special investigative unit (SIU), said searches were conducted at Gupta's office and residence under her supervision and certain documents were seized.