The Enforcement Directorate’s raids on the residence of senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj have ignited a fresh political storm, with AAP leaders strongly condemning the move and calling it a deliberate attempt to divert the nation’s attention from the growing controversy surrounding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational qualifications. The timing of the raids has come under sharp scrutiny, with the party branding them as “fake” and accusing the central government of misusing investigative agencies for political gains rather than allowing them to function independently in the interest of justice.
AAP National Media in-Charge Anurag Dhanda took to social media and addressed the press, raising serious questions about both the credibility and intention behind the ED’s action. He argued that the sudden raid was not coincidental but instead carefully orchestrated to shift the focus of public debate. “Why is this so-called raid happening on Saurabh Bharadwaj’s house? Since yesterday, the entire country has been talking about how the Prime Minister’s degree is fake. To divert attention from this issue, such fake raids are being conducted. This is not about justice; this is about narrative control,” Dhanda remarked, stressing that the entire episode had more to do with politics than legality.
He further pointed out the inconsistency in the allegations, noting that the case being cited by the ED was from a time before Bharadwaj had even assumed ministerial office. Drawing parallels with AAP leader Satyendar Jain’s earlier experiences with central agencies, Dhanda questioned how Bharadwaj could be linked to a scam in which he held no decision-making authority. According to him, the raids highlight not just the misuse of institutions but also the growing intolerance towards dissenting voices that challenge the ruling establishment.
The party’s official social media accounts also amplified the criticism, posting statements that asserted AAP’s resilience and refusal to be intimidated. “Aam Aadmi Party is not afraid of fake raids conducted by BJP’s parrot agencies,” one post read, underscoring the party’s position that the raids are part of a larger political design to weaken and discredit opposition parties ahead of crucial political battles.
Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia added weight to the criticism, stating that the raids lack any rational basis. According to him, the only plausible explanation for the timing of the ED’s actions was to overshadow the damaging revelations about the Prime Minister’s degree. “Even a child will laugh on hearing that the case being cited is from before Saurabh Bharadwaj became a minister. This shows the hollowness of the allegations and the desperation behind the move,” Sisodia asserted, suggesting that the raids were more about optics than substance.
Meanwhile, reports confirmed that the Enforcement Directorate had searched as many as thirteen locations in connection with its money laundering investigation. The case is tied to alleged irregularities in hospital construction projects sanctioned during the tenure of the AAP government. It originated from a complaint filed in August 2024 by the then Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta, who accused the government of corruption in twenty-four hospital projects, amounting to nearly Rs 5,590 crore. These projects included both the construction of new hospitals and upgrades to existing facilities during 2018–2019.
Despite the large-scale operation, the Enforcement Directorate has yet to release any official statement outlining the findings or progress of the ongoing searches. The absence of concrete details has further fueled AAP’s accusations that the raids are politically motivated rather than evidence-driven. For now, the controversy continues to stir heated debates, not only about the allegations themselves but also about the broader issue of whether investigative agencies in India are being used as tools of political vendetta.
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