AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj slams ED, alleges L-G conspired to frame him

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj

NEW DELHI: AAP’s Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj on Wednesday slammed the Enforcement Directorate, which raided premises linked to him as part of a money laundering probe, and accused Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena of conspiring to frame him in a false case.There was no immediate reaction from the ED or the L-G office to the charges.The central probe agency carried out searches on the premises of former Delhi minister Bharadwaj and some private contractors on Tuesday as part of a money laundering probe linked to an alleged scam in health infrastructure projects during the AAP rule in Delhi.At least 13 locations in the National Capital Region (NCR) were searched under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Bharadwaj said the ED team arrived at his residence around 7.15 am.”First, they searched my house and then sat me down to record my statement. They had 43 questions for me, and I answered all of them. After recording my statement, they sent it somewhere. I do not know where they sent it, but later they came to me and asked me to remove a portion of my statement,” he alleged.Bharadwaj said his family was given the impression that he would be arrested after he refused to change his statement. “This is how ED functions. They manipulate you psychologically, use coercion and threat. How can ED dictate what I say in my statement?” he posed.The AAP leader said he became minister on March 9, 2023, and held a meeting on the delay in hospital projects on March 22. Thereafter, he held a series of meetings and issued multiple directions, Bharadwaj said.”The lieutenant governor made sure the officers did not implement the directions. He hatched a conspiracy along with officers to frame me,” he claimed.Bharadwaj said he knows that he would be arrested and sent to jail. “While I will be in jail, my lawyers will expose the truth,” he added.