The ED has registered a money laundering case in three major alleged scams during the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi—hospital construction, CCTV, and shelter homes.
AAP: Delhi's politics has heated up once again. The difficulties of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leaders appear to be increasing. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now registered a money laundering case in connection with three separate alleged scams that surfaced during the Delhi government's tenure—hospital construction, the CCTV camera project, and the shelter home scam. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) were already investigating these cases. With the ED's involvement, the scope of action has become more stringent.
Three Major Scams, One Party in the Crosshairs
The ED has registered ECIRs (Enforcement Case Information Report) in all three cases, which is the first legal procedure for action against money laundering. This makes it clear that the investigation will not be limited to corruption alone, but will move in the direction of the illicit wealth that may have been acquired through these scams.
Hospital Construction Scam: Playing with Public Health? (₹5,590 Crore)
This scam is related to the Delhi government's proposed project of 24 hospitals in 2018-19. These hospitals were to be completed with ICU facilities in just six months, but even after three years, more than half the work remains incomplete.
- Despite spending ₹800 crore, only 50% of the work has been completed.
- The biggest case is related to LNJP Hospital, where the cost has increased from ₹488 crore to ₹1,135 crore.
- Construction work was started at many places without statutory approval.
- The role of contractors is under suspicion.
- The HIMS (Hospital Information Management System) project has been pending since 2016, and is allegedly being deliberately delayed.
- Former Health Minister Satyendar Jain and current minister Saurabh Bharadwaj are likely to be investigated.
CCTV Scam: A Scam in the Name of Surveillance? (₹571 Crore)
In 2019, the Delhi government started a project to install 1.4 lakh CCTV cameras in 70 assembly constituencies to enhance the city's security. The contract for this work was given to BEL (Bharat Electronics Limited).
- The project was not completed on time.
- A penalty of ₹17 crore was imposed on BEL, which was later mysteriously waived.
- It is alleged that a bribe of ₹7 crore was given to Satyendar Jain through BEL contractors.
- The ED will investigate this entire transaction and trace the money trail to find out through which medium and where this amount reached.
DUSIB Scam: A Game of Fake Documents and 'Ghost Workers' (₹207 Crore+)
This case related to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has also emerged as a major scam.
- There is an allegation of misappropriation of ₹207 crore through fake FDRs (Fixed Deposit Receipts).
- A fake bill of ₹15 lakh was prepared for road repairs in the Patel Nagar area.
- Crores of rupees were shown as payment in the name of 'ghost workers' (non-existent laborers) during the lockdown.
- There is suspicion of embezzlement of ₹250 crore by showing a scam in the operation of shelter homes.
ED Registers ECIR, Preparing for Summons and Raids
The Enforcement Directorate has registered ECIRs (Enforcement Case Information Report) in all three cases, which is the first step in the legal process in money laundering cases. This is now an indication that summons can be sent to many senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party soon. According to sources, the ED has also started gathering preliminary information from the concerned contractors and board officials. After examining the documents, there is a possibility of raids at several places in Delhi.
AAP's Reaction: 'This is Vendetta Politics'
AAP leaders have termed these cases as 'political vendetta.' Party spokespersons say that the BJP is misusing central government agencies to harm AAP in the upcoming elections. However, the party has not yet held a detailed press conference on this issue.
Political Activity Intensifies
Political analysts believe that these investigations could have a major impact on Delhi's politics. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who leads the AAP, will now have to answer questions about the functioning of his own government regarding the policies he advocates.
