The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted searches at the premises of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former minister Saurabh Bharadwaj as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged scam in Delhi’s health infrastructure projects during the previous AAP government, officials said.
Raids were carried out at 13 locations across the National Capital Region, including those of private contractors and real estate developers, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they added.
The probe against Bharadwaj, 45, Delhi AAP chief and national spokesperson, stems from an FIR registered by Delhi’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in June. The ACB had named Bharadwaj, former health minister Satyendar Jain, private contractors and unidentified officials for alleged corruption in hospital projects under the AAP-led government.
The FIR followed allegations by the Delhi BJP in August last year of “grave irregularities and suspected corruption” in health projects. The ACB complaint accused officials of manipulating project budgets, misusing funds, and colluding with contractors.
According to ACB, 24 hospital projects worth ₹5,590 crore were sanctioned in 2018-19 but remain incomplete, with major cost escalations. Similarly, the ₹1,125-crore ICU Hospital Project, intended to build seven facilities with 6,800 beds in six months, is only 50% complete after three years and ₹800 crore spent.
The ED said the raids were based on evidence collected during the investigation and allegations of large-scale corruption, unauthorized construction, and fund misappropriation in Delhi’s health infrastructure projects.
