Delhi's Vigilance dept seeks Centre nod to probe AAP's ex-health ministers Jain and Bharadwaj

Indian Express

09-05-2025

The Delhi government's Vigilance Department has sought permission from the Centre to initiate an inquiry against former health ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain for allegedly committing corruption of Rs 5,590 crore in the construction of 24 hospitals, said officials.
According to officials, the department sought permission to probe these AAP leaders under the Prevention of Corruption (PoC) Act. Hitting back, the AAP accused the BJP government of not providing funds to complete the project, which led to cost escalation.
Officials said a complaint was filed by BJP MLA and Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta with the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) alleging rampant corruption plaguing the Health Department with the connivance of Bharadwaj and Jain.
Gupta alleged that in 2018-19, the 24 hospital Projects — 11 greenfield and 13 brownfield — were sanctioned for Rs 5,590 crore, but these projects have been mired in inexplicable delays and astronomical cost overruns, which indicates large-scale siphoning of funds.
The ACB then conducted an inquiry which, prima facie, revealed that the consistent inflating of the aforesaid project costs; deliberate delays by the departments; rejection of cost-effective solutions; mis-allocation of funds; and creation of idle assets are the tactics and patterns of misconduct and corrupt activities which resulted in a huge loss to the government exchequer of the health department concerned.
'The allegations levelled in the complaint are serious and require an inquiry… It is, therefore, requested that prior approval u/s 17-A of the PoC Act against Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain, Former Health Minister, GNCT of Delhi, [be granted] for conducting the enquiry,' said the ACB in its report.
Officials said the ACB sent this report to the Vigilance Department in January.
Following this, the Vigilance Department recently sought permission from the Centre. Officials said the Centre has sent the file to the President. Permission is required from the President as the charges are levelled against two former ministers.
The AAP, in its response, said, 'In the early days of… Covid, there were projections that Delhi could see 5.5 lakh cases… and would require 80,000 hospital beds, especially ICU beds… The AAP government mobilised its financial resources to build these hospitals at the fastest possible pace. Later, the threat of Covid subsided and the government's priorities were calibrated accordingly…'
'Such practices in the government are common and cannot be termed as corruption… After initial sanctions, no file for revised sanctions ever came to the ministers…,' the party said.