ED raids ex-Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj premises over alleged 'medical scam'

People outside AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj`s residence amid a raid by ED. Pic/PTI

Probe agency Enforcement Directorate conducted a raid at AAP Delhi unit chief and former health minister of Delhi government on Tuesday, August 26. The raid on the ex-Delhi minister's place has been conducted over an alleged ‘scam' in constructing hospitals across the capital.

While slamming the opposition party, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva in a video statement said that "the AAP government in Delhi was involved in the 'scam' in the construction of hospitals and purchase of medicines and equipment. An investigation into the "scam" in the purchase of medicines is already being conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, as cited by news agency PTI.

As reported by news agency PTI, probe agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) is searching the premises of Bharadwaj and some private contractors as part of a money laundering probe. The investigation agency concerns that the ex-Delhi minister and his allies have been linked to an alleged scam in health infrastructure projects during the previous AAP government in Delhi.

Reports from news agency PTI also suggest that there are at least 13 locations in the National Capital Region which are being searched under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act over the misuses of funds to build government hospitals.

BJP leader while addressing the issue also said that, "We have said it earlier also that the previous AAP government led by Arvind Kejriwal looted Delhi through scams. Now the party is trying to fool people in other states," as cited by news agency PTI.

Pointing out the incompetence of the previous government under the leadership of the Aam Aadmi Party, several BJP leaders expressed that the ED raids against Bharadwaj have exposed the "medical scam" under the previous AAP government.

Moreover, Delhi BJP MLA Harish Khurana has alleged that the AAP government paid contractors' bills, even though no work was done on the ground for the construction of hospitals.

The ED investigation against Bharadwaj stems from an FIR registered by Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in June.

Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Bureau had also booked Bharadwaj, his party colleague and ex-health minister Satyendar Jain, private contractors and unknown government officials for alleged corruption in health infrastructure projects by the former AAP government.

While responding to BJP's remarks, AAP on Tuesday said that the raids against Bharadwaj were an attempt to divert attention from questions being raised about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's degree and that the case against the party leader was false.

(With inputs from PTI)