The Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday raided properties of former director of the Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) Dr A Dharma Rakshak and three others for flouting norms in a 2013 contract to supply medical equipment.

The searches were carried out at the houses of Dr Dharma, former additional medical superintendent Dr D Mukund Reddy and former financial controller V Sridhar, beside a few offices.

"We have seized various documents related to the case from the houses of the accused and other places. We are only seizing evidence related to the case and taking a note of other valuables we found during the search," ACB deputy superintendent of police (DSP) V Ravi Kumar told the Times of India.

The raid comes in the backdrop of an inquiry into irregular practices adopted by the institute's top management in the purchase of certain medical equipment in 2013.

After registering a case against the the three members on Wednesday, the ACB got a search warrant and carried out simultaneous searches at five places in Hyderabad on Thursday .

However, the former director said that he had nothing to fear and had never engaged in corruption during his 27-year spell as a doctor.

"I gave all documents to ACB. They can check if I committed irregularities. Due to pressure from the Congress government to inaugurate the new block we wrapped up the process in two months which usually takes a year," he told Deccan Chronicle.

In 2013, the ACB reportedly received an anonymous letter from an employee of Nims alleging financial irregularities during the tenure of Dr Dharma, which triggered off an investigation by the authorities. 

"As per the rules, the lowest bidder should get the supply contract, but the accused had violated the rules and gave contract to two firms, Global Life Services and Shillar Health Care India Pvt Ltd, who quoted a higher price," another ACB official told TOI.

According to reports, this caused a loss of Rs 3.03 crore to the state government.