Corruption rarely begins with dramatic headlines. It starts quietly, inside procurement files, approval notes and financial decisions that seldom attract public attention. Yet when allega-tions arise from a military hospital, the implications extend well beyond accounting irregulari-ties. Medical procurement is not merely a bureaucratic process; it directly affects the avail-ability of medicines, equipment and healthcare services for those who depend on them. Any credible allegation of misuse, therefore, raises broader questions about institutional ac-countability and the responsible management of public resources.

The court-martial proceedings involving former Army Medical Corps officer Major General Devendra Arora have once again placed these concerns under public scrutiny. While serving as Commandant of 166 Military Hospital in Jammu between 2018 and 2020, he faced allega-tions relating to the procurement of medicines, medical equipment, dressings, ointments and gels worth nearly ₹11 crore.........

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