Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Tuesday said the Enforcement Directorate’s raids at the residence of Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj would expose the extent of corruption under the then Arvind Kejriwal government in the national capital’s health sector.
The ED carried out searches at 13 locations, including Bharadwaj’s residence, in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to alleged irregularities in the construction of hospitals in Delhi. The search at his home began in the morning and was continuing at the time of reporting.
In a video statement, Sachdeva alleged that Bharadwaj, the AAP’s Delhi state president and former minister, was part of a “gang of corrupt individuals.” He said the BJP had consistently maintained that “Arvind Kejriwal and his government have looted Delhi.”
“Large-scale corruption was carried out by the then Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj in the construction of hospitals, purchase of medicines and equipment. The investigative agencies’ raids have made this clear,” Sachdeva said. He further alleged that AAP leaders “who committed massive scams” were now attempting to “mislead” people in other states.
According to Sachdeva, the ED’s action would establish how the AAP government “looted the health sector” in Delhi.
Sources said the probe is tied to allegations of large-scale financial mismanagement and embezzlement in several hospital projects.
Also Read : ED raids AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj
The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) first flagged the suspected scam, noting that in 2018-19, 24 hospital projects were sanctioned in Delhi with an estimated cost of about Rs 5,500 crore. These included 11 greenfield and 13 brownfield projects.
Despite approvals, many of the projects suffered long delays while costs rose sharply, prompting suspicions of corruption. For example, an Intensive Care Unit hospital, expected to be completed in six months, remained unfinished after three years, with only half the work completed, despite Rs 800 crore already being spent.
Similarly, the cost of expanding Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital increased from Rs 488 crore to Rs 1,135 crore, despite minimal progress.
Construction work was reportedly started at several locations without necessary approvals, while the roles of contractors also raised questions.
The implementation of the Hospital Information Management System (HIMS), first approved in 2016, has also remained pending, with investigators citing deliberate delays.
In addition to Bharadwaj, former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain is also under investigation in connection with the case.
Bharadwaj, who earlier represented the Greater Kailash constituency in the Delhi Assembly, held key portfolios in the previous AAP government, including Health, Urban Development and Water.
Follow us
