DMC audit for 2019-2025 reveals major irregularities

New Delhi: A special govt audit of Delhi Medical Council (DMC) has flagged major “financial and administrative irregularities” between Dec 1, 2019, and Feb 10, 2025.The report, prepared by Delhi govt’s directorate of audit and submitted to its health and family welfare department, has held Dr Girish Tyagi, former registrar of DMC, “responsible for a Rs 5.5-crore loss to govt exchequer” as a result of his “receiving less fees from doctors for renewal of their DMC registrations”.The report also holds Tyagi responsible for “financial irregularities” amounting to Rs 1.2 crore. Moreover, it alleges that he unlawfully continued to draw a salary and availed himself of monetary benefits for five years by extending his own retirement age from 60 to 65 years — a “complete violation of orders” issued by the Centre and Delhi govt. The report seeks to recover Rs 3.2 crore from him on this count.Asked to resign in Nov 2024, Dr Tyagi ultimately quit as DMC registrar in Feb 2025.Delhi health minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh said appropriate action will be taken following a review of the audit report. “Delhi govt has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, financial mismanagement and procedural violations in public institutions. Any irregularity affecting public resources or institutional integrity will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law and established procedures,” he said.Speaking to TOI, Dr Tyagi said he is yet to read the report. Once he does, he will explore legal options and respond accordingly, he said.Regarding the alleged Rs 1.2-crore financial irregularities, the audit report holds Dr Tyagi liable on multiple counts, including “regularisation of multi-tasking staff (MTS) staff to lower-division clerks, irregular payment made to M/Ss Meltwater and irregular expenditure on medical insurance of council members.” It also mentions “irregularities regarding foreign visits for private affairs” by Dr Tyagi and “discrepancies in maintenance of service book”.Seeking to recover Rs 3.2 crore from him, the report claims that he ran up conveyance expenses (“hiring of vehicles”) of Rs 27.3 lakh, court expenses of Rs 5 lakh and telephone bills of Rs 1.8 lakh between 2019 and 2024. It also alleges that he violated rules for non-maintenance of records of “costly gift items purchased for Diwali for Rs 65.4 lakh in these five years”. The report adds, “Further, Rs 13 lakh may also be recovered (from Dr Tyagi) in lieu of three months’ notice period, which is prerequisite for tendering resignation, according to provisions in the DMC Act.”Dr Tyagi told TOI, “My tenure from 2019 to 2024 was based on a decision by the council. The matter is pending in court following a petition. If it was all wrong, then what about my work during that period? I filed so many cases against quacks, such as those illegally practising allopathy.”