Trouble Mounts for Saurabh Bhardwaj and Satyendra Jain as ACB Gets Nod to Investigate Hospital Scam
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Troubles of former Delhi health ministers Saurabh Bhardwaj and Satyendra Jain are going to increase. The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government has got approval to investigate against these two former ministers in the hospital scam worth thousands of crores of rupees. This approval was given on May 6, 2025 on the recommendation of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.
A complaint in this matter was filed by Vijendra Gupta on August 22, 2024, alleging large-scale corruption in the health department and connivance of the two former ministers.
The complaint states that ₹5590 crore was sanctioned for 24 hospital projects (11 greenfield and 13 brownfield) in 2018-19 but these projects were severely delayed and the cost also escalated. Additionally, ₹1125 crore was sanctioned for the construction of 7 ICU hospitals (6800 beds), but even after three years, only 50% of the construction work has been completed and ₹800 crore has been spent so far.
The complaint also reveals irregularities in the LNJP hospital project. The project was approved at a cost of ₹465.52 crores, but now its cost has increased to ₹1125 crores, i.e. the cost has increased almost three times in four years. Apart from this, corruption has also been alleged in 94 polyclinic projects. Major irregularities have also been said to have come to light in this scheme of ₹168.53 crores. Now the ACB will investigate this entire matter thoroughly.