ED raids Delhi in money-laundering probe into AAP hospital projects

The Enforcement Directorate conducted a coordinated set of searches at 13 locations in and around Delhi, including the residence of Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, in connection with a money laundering probe tied to alleged irregularities in hospital construction projects carried out during the AAP government’s tenure. The operation marks a significant escalation in the ongoing investigation into the financing and implementation of 24 hospital projects worth about Rs 5,590 crore, with authorities signaling that further details, including assets seized, would be disclosed as the inquiry progresses.

The case centers on alleged delays, cost overruns, and possible misappropriation in health infrastructure projects sanctioned in 2018-19. Authorities say the projects encompassed 11 new hospitals and 13 upgrades to existing facilities, and that none of the sanctioned hospitals were completed within the expected timelines. One high-profile component, the Rs 1,125 crore ICU Hospital Project intended to create 6,800 beds across seven preengineered facilities, is reportedly only partially complete despite substantial expenditure. The...