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The Delhi health department has transferred Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr Vatsala Aggarwal to Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) hospital. This comes just days after the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) stayed an earlier government order removing Aggarwalfrom the post and placing her under “awaiting post” status.
The order, dated June 1 and seen by HT, said, “In supersession of all previous orders issued in respect of posting of Dr Vatsala Aggarwal, and with the approval of the Competent Authority, Dr Vatsala Aggarwal, Director, DHS, is hereby posted at Guru Teg Bahadur hospital with immediate effect.”
It did not state any reason for the transfer.
The order, approved by the lieutenant governor, further said the medical superintendent of the Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital (JPCH) will look after the charge of director, DHS, “in addition to her own duties till further orders”. Dr Sushma Jain is the medical superintendent for the JPCH.
The health department officials did not respond to HT’s messages and calls for comment.
An official aware of the matter from Delhi health department, said, “This order is issued as her posting was awaited, so now she has been assigned a posting as per the protocol.”
Speaking to HT, a GTB official aware of the matter said, “She has currently been only asked to report to the MD of GTB. She has not joined her duties yet, once she joins, following which, she would be assigned her duties.”
Aggarwal had earlier approached the CAT after an order by the Department of Health and Family Welfare and signed by Sharat Kumar, deputy secretary (HR-Medical), placed Aggarwal under “awaiting posting” status, without giving reasons for the posting change.
The CAT, staying the order on 26 June, said “This Tribunal finds that the applicant has made out a prima facie case for interim protection. The balance of convenience also lies in favour of the applicant and irreparable prejudice may be caused if the impugned order is allowed to operate during pendency of the OA.”
The CAT is a quasi-judicial body that hears out the grievances of state and central government employees.
Aggarwal was appointed Director General of Health Services in August 2025. Further, she was also given additional charge of Delhi Medical Council (DMC) registrar in June.
In September last year, HT had reported that the vigilance branch of the health department had sought a response from the state-run Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI) over a complaint claiming the role of former DSCI director Dr Vatsala Agrawal in the alleged irregularities in faculty recruitment at the institute.
The complaint, a copy of which HT has also seen alleging that recruitment rules were manipulated to favour certain candidates.
Ridhima Gupta is a health correspondent with Hindustan Times. She covers Delhi's hospitals, government policies and other health topics. She has a keen interest in covering stories with a particular focus on gender and children’s issues.
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