ED Intensifies Probe: AAP's Saurabh Bhardwaj Under Scanner in Hospital Construction Money Laundering Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has ratcheted up its investigation into alleged financial irregularities within the Delhi government, launching extensive search operations at multiple locations linked to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bhardwaj. These raids are part of a high-stakes money laundering probe stemming from purported anomalies in the construction of temporary hospitals during the critical period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sources indicate that the ED’s actions are based on a First Information Report (FIR) originally filed by the Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB).

The ACB’s preliminary inquiry unearthed what it described as “gross financial irregularities” in the process of awarding tenders for setting up these crucial healthcare facilities. A significant allegation points to the scandalous award of a tender for a 680-bed hospital to a company that was reportedly blacklisted, raising serious questions about transparency and due diligence in public procurement.

The ongoing investigation falls under the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), signaling the gravity of the allegations.

The ED’s scrutiny aims to uncover the trails of illicit funds, if any, and ascertain the beneficiaries of these alleged fraudulent practices. At the heart of the probe are decisions made during a period when Saurabh Bhardwaj held the portfolio of Health Minister in the Delhi government, placing his role squarely under the investigative lens.

This is not the first instance of the ED’s gaze falling upon prominent AAP figures.

The agency has previously conducted search operations and investigations involving other senior leaders of the party, including Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh, in unrelated cases. The current action against Bhardwaj underscores the ED’s sustained focus on alleged corruption within the Delhi administration, promising a thorough and potentially far-reaching inquiry.

The raids are expected to unearth crucial documents, financial records, and digital evidence that could shed more light on the tendering process, the companies involved, and the decision-making chain.

As the ED continues its operations, the political landscape in Delhi is bracing for potential repercussions, with the AAP government facing renewed pressure over allegations of financial misconduct and lack of accountability in crucial public projects.