Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) had flagged irregularities in the construction of hospitals during the AAP regime.

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday raided Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj’s residence in the national capital, along with nearly a dozen other locations, in connection with an alleged scam involving the construction of hospitals during his tenure as Delhi’s health minister.

Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) had flagged irregularities in the construction of hospitals during the AAP regime.

Delhi ACB investigation said that 24 hospital projects, including 11 greenfield and 13 brownfield, were sanctioned at a cost of more than five thousand five hundred crore rupees in 2018-19. These projects were mired in inexplicable delays and astronomical cost overruns, indicating large-scale financial embezzlement.

The ED registered a case in the alleged scam. The central probe agency’s case stems from the FIR registered by the ACB Delhi.

Sources said that the AAP government had sanctioned Rs 5,590 crore for the construction of 24 hospitals in 2018–19. Under this plan, ICU hospitals were to be completed within six months; however, even after three years, the work remained unfinished, and not much progress was seen on the ground. Despite this, 50% of the sanctioned funds were reportedly used.

The ED suspects that this was financial embezzlement meant to benefit Bharadwaj and others.

At LNJP Hospital, the project cost jumped from Rs 488 crore to Rs 1,135 crore, yet no significant progress was seen. In many places, construction began without approval, and contractors’ roles were found to be suspicious. The Hospital Information Management System (HIMS), pending since 2016, was allegedly delayed deliberately.