The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday conducted raids at 13 locations, including the residence of former Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, in connection with a money-laundering probe linked to alleged irregularities in hospital construction projects sanctioned by the Arvind Kejriwal government.

AAP leaders slammed the Centre for allegedly misusing the agencies and said the raid was intended to divert attention from the controversy surrounding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational qualifications.

The leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, said: “Why was Saurabhji raided? Because questions are being raised about Modi’s degree, whether it is fake. To divert attention from that debate, this raid was carried out.”

She said Bharadwaj was not a minister during the period under investigation, calling the case “entirely fabricated”. She cited the example of former AAP minister Satyendar Jain, who spent three years in jail before the CBI and the ED filed a closure report. “This makes it clear that all cases against AAP leaders are false and politically driven,” she said.

Sources in the ED said the raids covered 13 locations in Delhi-NCR. So far, the agency has not disclosed details of assets seized or specific financial irregularities detected.

“The projects were marred by delays, cost overruns and suspected embezzlement. None of the sanctioned hospitals was completed on time, and several hundred crores in escalated costs remain unexplained,” said an ED official.

Bharadwaj, a three-time MLA from Greater Kailash, has served as Delhi’s health, urban development and water minister, chaired the Delhi Jal Board, and is one of the AAP’s official spokespersons.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal hit out at the Centre, calling the raid “misuse of agencies” by the Modi government.

“The AAP is being targeted because it is the most vocal voice against the Modi government’s wrong policies and corrupt deeds. The Modi government wants to suppress our voice. This will never happen,” Kejriwal posted on X. He said the AAP was determined to raise its voice against wrong policies in future and not be scared of such raids.

Former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia also claimed that the raids were conducted soon after Opposition leaders started questioning Modi’s degree.

“Yesterday, the entire country questioned Modiji’s degree. When the truth of the degree came out, a raid was carried out on Saurabh Bharadwaj to distract attention. The question was simple — is Modiji’s degree fake? Instead of answering, raids were ordered on AAP leaders,” he said, alleging that just as the degree was fake, the case against Bharadwaj was also false.