ACB seeks nod to probe graft charges against Delhi govt’s health dept

The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi has taken up a complaint related to alleged corruption in the health department under health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and former health minister Satyendar Jain, and sought the prior approval of the competent authority for conducting an inquiry into the matter.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs, led by leader of opposition in Delhi assembly Vijender Gupta, had on August 22 filed a complaint with the ACB seeking urgent investigation into “massive corruption in Delhi health department under minister Bharadwaj and former minister Jain”.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in a statement said that the “BJP, their LG (lieutenant governor) and their agencies such as ACB have lost all credibility in the eyes of public.”
HT reached out to the LG office, but did not get any response to request for comment.
In a letter, dated August 29, the ACB wrote to Gupta informing him that the agency has received the complaint lodged by him and it has moved the competent authority a request for prior approval, envisaged under section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, for conducting inquiry into the matter.
HT has seen a copy of the letter.
A senior ACB official said that it is a routine process to look into any complaint. “Once we get a go-ahead from the higher authorities, we will begin the investigation. Normally, we get an approval in a week or so. But since this complaint has been filed by the leaders of opposition party, it may take a few more days,” the officer said requesting anonymity.
The BJP leaders demanded immediate and decisive action into “rampant corruption plaguing the health department of the Delhi government.” In the written complaint, they said that “in 2018-19, 24 hospital projects were sanctioned for a total of ₹5,590 crore. Today, these projects are mired in inexplicable delays and astronomical cost overruns, clear indicators of large-scale fund siphoning.”
On Monday in a press conference, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and Vijender Gupta reiterated their charges of corruption. “…a glaring example is the case of seven ICU hospitals with 6,800 beds, sanctioned at ₹1,125 crore, which are only 50% complete after three years. The polyclinic project was also scrutinised, with the BJP revealing that only 52 out of 94 planned polyclinics have been constructed. Despite this shortfall, costs have inexplicably risen from ₹168.58 crore to ₹220 crore, and most of these polyclinics now lie idle,” said the Gupta said in a press conference at the party office in DDU Marg.
“The AAP government’s Health Information Management System project remains unimplemented after eight years, resulting in a waste of ₹130 crore… In the Lok Nayak Hospital project, costs have mysteriously escalated from ₹487.66 crore to ₹1,125 crore in just four years,” said Gupta.
The BJP leaders demanded the resignation of Bharadwaj and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, citing “criminal negligence and corruption that have endangered countless lives and wasted taxpayer money.”
Hitting back at the BJP and ACB, health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that ACB has lost its credibility.
“Two days ago, the Saket court remarked that honest officers should also be posted in it (ACB). ACB conducted an inquiry against a complaint related to parking mafia on the order of the court, but did not act against the main accused. The LG decides which officers will be posted in ACB. I believe that it is a big response. The CBI, ED and ACB are their puppets, they can get any complaint lodged against anyone and get any investigation conducted against anyone,” Bharadwaj said on Monday.
Meanwhile, AAP in a statement said: “People know that making false baseless cases and playing frivolous inquiries in media is just a political stunt of BJP. BJP and its agencies are free to inquire into anything… We want BJP and it’s LG to answer one basic question. If such multi-crore scam has occurred under the nose of health secretary SB Deepak Kumar and PWD secretary Anbarasu, then why has the LG not suspended his two favourite officers?”
“This cost escalation file related to hospital block has never come to the minister Saurabh Bharadwaj nor was this escalation approved by minister, this matter was being dealt by the officers who have been posted by LG. Then, why is LG not taking any action against his favourite officers?” said the AAP.