Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva Criticizes Satyendra Jain and AAP Over Bribery and Hospital Project Costs
New Delhi [India], July 7: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Delhi unit president Virendraa Sachdeva has criticized former Delhi government minister Satyendra Jain, accusing him and other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders of engaging in corrupt activities. Sachdeva expressed his surprise at how Jain allegedly demanded a bribe from a government company.
Sachdeva stated, “We are also surprised how can a person ask for a bribe from a Government of India company? AAP people are experts in doing black deeds. They do new experiments… If Satyendra Jain is asking for commission and if he is being investigated, then why are they getting nervous? Let the investigation happen…”
Earlier, on Tuesday, Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena alleged that a tender for constructing an additional block in Lok Nayak Hospital, initially worth Rs 465 crore, had increased to Rs 1135 crore, creating a liability of about Rs 670 crore for the Delhi Government.
In a letter, LG Saxena stated, “I have perused the matter, which relates to blatant violation of procedures and creating an unauthorized liability of approximately Rs 670 Crores for the GNCTD while constructing a new building block for Lok Nayak Hospital. A hospital originally tendered out on contract for Rs. 465 Crores (approx.), ran into re-estimates and expansion of the scope of work amounting to a whopping Rs. 1135 Crores (approx.).”
He alleged that this cost escalation occurred due to collusion between the Delhi Government’s Health Department, led by Saurabh Bhardwaj, and the Public Works Department (PWD), headed by Atishi Marlena. LG Saxena has requested the Vigilance Department to ask the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to form a special team to conduct a detailed technical examination of the matter.
Additionally, LG Saxena has formed a committee to investigate the procedural violations that led to the cost escalation and to examine all ongoing projects in different Delhi Government hospitals. The project, which began on November 4, 2020, was supposed to be completed in 30 months. However, after three and a half years, only 64% of the work is done, while costs have risen by 243%.
The Health & Family Welfare Department of GNCTD had assigned the project to the PWD. The PWD attributed the cost overruns to an increase in the scope of work. However, while the scope of work increased by only 8.61%, the cost increased by 143%. These cost overruns were approved at the departmental level, bypassing the Finance Department and the Cabinet.
After LG Saxena flagged the issue to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on June 22, 2023, the AAP Government brought a Cabinet Note in March 2024 for approval of the cost overruns, which is still pending.
