Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj faced a raid from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday morning as part of a probe into an alleged hospital construction scam.
Bharadwaj, who is the sitting MLA from Greater Kailash, has held various portfolios during AAP’s tenure in the Delhi government. These include health, urban development and water.
Why ED raided Saurabh Bharadwaj
As per the official statement from the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), a case has been registered against Saurabh Bharadwaj and AAP leader Satyendar Jain, former Delhi Health Ministers, "in connection with large-scale corruption in health infrastructure projects of the Delhi Government."
"24 hospital projects – 11 greenfield and 13 brownfield – were sanctioned at a cost of ₹5,590 crores in 2018–19. These projects are mired in inexplicable delays and astronomical cost overruns, indicating large-scale financial embezzlement," the ACB states further.
{{/usCountry}}"24 hospital projects – 11 greenfield and 13 brownfield – were sanctioned at a cost of ₹5,590 crores in 2018–19. These projects are mired in inexplicable delays and astronomical cost overruns, indicating large-scale financial embezzlement," the ACB states further.
{{/usCountry}}The ACB added that it found "massive irregularities, unexplained delays and significant misappropriation of funds" in relation to the construction of various hospitals, polyclinics and ICY wings across Delhi.
"The case was registered after receiving approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act from the competent authority. On 22.08.2024, a detailed complaint was received from Vijender Gupta, then Leader of Opposition, Delhi, highlighting grave irregularities and suspected corruption in various health infrastructure projects under the GNCTD," said the ACB.
AAP’s reaction to the ED raid on Saurabh Bharadwaj
The Aam Aadmi Party reacted to the ED raids on its MLA and official spokesperson, Saurabh Bharadwaj. The party has stated that the case against the Greater Kailash MLA is “fake” and dates back to a time when he was not a minister.
Another AAP health minister, Satyendar Jain, recently received a huge relief in a graft case when a court closed the case as the probing agency, in his case, the CBI, did not find any evidence of wrongdoing.