Enforcement Directorate Raids AAP Leader Saurabh Bharadwaj in Hospital Construction Probe
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted raids at 13 locations in Delhi-NCR, including the residence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj. The searches are part of a money laundering investigation into alleged large-scale corruption, cost escalations, and fund misappropriation in hospital construction projects sanctioned by the Delhi government. The probe follows an FIR filed by the Delhi Police's Anti-Corruption Branch, intensifying the legal challenges faced by the AAP leadership.
Unpacked:
Saurabh Bharadwaj and other AAP leaders are accused of large-scale corruption, cost escalations, misuse of public funds, and collusion with private contractors in 24 hospital construction projects. The Anti-Corruption Branch alleges systematic manipulation of project budgets and substantial, unexplained cost overruns, with most projects incomplete years after sanctioning.
The investigation began after the Delhi BJP alleged grave irregularities and suspected corruption in various health infrastructure projects in August 2024. This prompted the Anti-Corruption Branch to file a complaint, which led to the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering probe.
Out of 24 sanctioned hospital projects worth ₹5,590 crore, none were completed on time. The ICU hospital project, for example, is only 50% finished after nearly three years and spending ₹800 crore, despite an initial six-month deadline. Many projects remain incomplete with significant cost overruns.
The Aam Aadmi Party has claimed that the raids are politically motivated and intended to divert attention from other national controversies. Party leaders allege the investigation is an attempt to malign AAP's image and distract from issues facing the central government.