ED Raids AAP Leader Saurabh Bhardwaj Amid Widespread Corruption Allegations and Bail Culture

ED Raids AAP Leader Saurabh Bhardwaj Amid Widespread Corruption Allegations and Bail Culture

RMN News Report Highlights:

• The Enforcement Directorate has conducted raids at AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj’s residence and other locations in connection with an alleged hospital construction scam in Delhi.
• Bhardwaj is among several prominent politicians, including high-ranking AAP leaders and figures from other parties, who are facing “grave allegations”.
• Critics allege a “bribe for bail” culture within the Indian judiciary, where the principle of “Bail Is the Rule, Jail Is the Exception” is inconsistently applied, favoring influential individuals.
• India’s corruption perception has worsened, with the country ranking 96th globally, indicating a systemic issue exacerbated by alleged misuse of investigative agencies and judicial complicity.

By Rakesh Raman
New Delhi | August 26, 2025

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at the residence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bhardwaj and other locations in Delhi today (August 26), in connection with a money laundering investigation. The probe is linked to an alleged hospital construction scam in Delhi, stemming from an earlier case registered by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) against Bhardwaj and former minister Satyendar Jain.

The ED’s operations, carried out under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), involved 13 different premises across the Delhi-NCR region. These searches are based on collected material and allegations of large-scale corruption, unjustified cost escalations, unauthorized constructions, and misappropriation of funds in health infrastructure projects of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD).

As usual, the AAP leaders alleged that these raids are a diversionary tactic and an instance of the BJP-led Centre misusing probe agencies to silence the opposition, claiming the case against Bhardwaj predates his ministership.

Broader Corruption Concerns and the “Bribe for Bail” Culture

Saurabh Bhardwaj is not an isolated case; almost the entire top leadership of the AAP, including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Satyendar Jain, has been facing serious corruption and money laundering cases, with all currently out on bail despite “grave allegations”.

This situation is cited as an example of a pervasive “bribe for bail” culture in India, where politicians may commit financial and other crimes but expect to get bail. Some senior lawyers reportedly act as intermediaries between jailed individuals and corrupt judges to secure bail for their clients through bribes.

Corrupt politicians are said to enjoy bail as a virtual acquittal, rarely returning to jail, and even when incarcerated for a few days, they allegedly receive luxurious treatment, including full-body massages.

Inconsistent Application of Bail Principles

A significant concern highlighted is the dishonest and cunning application of the ‘Bail Is the Rule, Jail Is the Exception‘ principle by Supreme Court judges. This principle is asserted when granting bail to influential prisoners, such as rich businessmen and infamous politicians, and is even applied to those incarcerated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

However, the corrupt courts do not apply this principle uniformly. For example, student leader Umar Khalid has been repeatedly denied bail, with his application arbitrarily rejected at least 14 times during his five years in jail, allegedly because he spoke against the ruling regime’s atrocities.

Similarly, Sikh leader Amritpal Singh has been incarcerated for over two years, with his appeals for bail falling on deaf ears, supposedly for opposing the Punjab Government’s actions.

High-Profile Politicians Granted Bail

Numerous high-profile politicians from various parties have been granted bail despite serious accusations. These include:

Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi (Indian National Congress)
– Case: National Herald case, a private criminal complaint alleging “cheating” and “breach of trust” in the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited (AJL) by Young Indian Pvt Ltd.
– Bail Date: December 19, 2015.
– Court: Patiala House Court, Delhi.

P. Chidambaram (Indian National Congress)
– Case: The INX Media money laundering case, which alleges he misused his position as Finance Minister to grant FIPB approval to INX Media.
– Bail Date: December 4, 2019.
– Court: Supreme Court.

D.K. Shivakumar (Indian National Congress)
– Case: A money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) based on an Income Tax department complaint of alleged tax evasion and hawala transactions.
– Bail Date: October 23, 2019.
– Court: Delhi High Court.

Hemant Soren (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha)
– Case: An alleged land scam case being investigated by the ED, which accuses him of illegally possessing a land parcel.
– Bail Date: June 28, 2024.
– Court: Jharkhand High Court.

Arvind Kejriwal (Aam Aadmi Party)
– Case: The Delhi Excise Policy scam, in which he faces charges of money laundering by the ED and corruption by the CBI.
– Bail Date: Granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 10, 2024, to campaign. Granted interim bail again on July 12, 2024, and regular bail on September 13, 2024, in the CBI corruption case by the Supreme Court.
– Court: Supreme Court.

Manish Sisodia (Aam Aadmi Party)
– Case: The Delhi Excise Policy case, where he is a key accused in alleged corruption and money laundering.
– Bail Date: August 9, 2024.
– Court: Supreme Court.

Satyendar Jain (Aam Aadmi Party)
– Case: A money laundering case investigated by the ED, which alleges he laundered money through shell companies.
– Bail Date: October 18, 2024.
– Court: Delhi Court.

Sanjay Singh (Aam Aadmi Party)
– Case: The Delhi Excise Policy scam, in which he was arrested for alleged money laundering.
– Bail Date: April 2, 2024.
– Court: Supreme Court.

Lalu Prasad Yadav (Rashtriya Janata Dal)
– Case: Multiple Fodder Scam cases involving the fraudulent withdrawal of government treasury funds.
– Bail Date: April 17, 2021 (in the Dumka Treasury case).
– Court: Jharkhand High Court.

Tejashwi Yadav, Rabri Devi, and Misa Bharti (Rashtriya Janata Dal)
– Case: The land-for-jobs scam, alleging that land was taken from job aspirants in exchange for railway jobs during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as railway minister.
– Bail Date: Tejashwi Yadav: October 7, 2024. Rabri Devi and Misa Bharti: February 8, 2024.
– Court: Delhi Court.

Nawab Malik (Nationalist Congress Party)
– Case: A money laundering case allegedly linked to fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim.
– Bail Date: July 30, 2024 (on medical grounds).
– Court: Supreme Court.

Paresh Pal (Trinamool Congress)
– Case: An alleged murder of a BJP supporter in post-poll violence.
– Bail Date: August 21, 2025 (anticipatory bail).
– Court: Calcutta High Court.

V. Senthil Balaji (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam)
– Case: A money laundering case stemming from a “cash-for-jobs” scam that allegedly occurred during his tenure as Transport Minister.
– Bail Date: September 26, 2024.
– Court: Supreme Court.

K. Kavitha (Bharat Rashtra Samithi)
– Case: The Delhi Excise Policy scam, where she is accused of being a key member of the “South Group” cartel.
– Bail Date: August 27, 2024.
– Court: Supreme Court.

Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena)
– Case: The Patra Chawl money laundering case, where he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his alleged role in financial irregularities related to a slum redevelopment project in Mumbai.
– Bail Date: November 9, 2022.
– Court: A special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court in Mumbai. The court’s order was notable for calling his arrest “illegal” and a “witch-hunt.”

Allegations Against the Modi Government

Multiple reports suggest that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP also has corrupt politicians, Modi allegedly does not allow investigations against his party leaders. A report by The Indian Express found that since 2014, 25 opposition leaders facing corruption investigations joined the BJP, and 23 of them received reprieve, suggesting the Modi government controls central investigating agencies.

These leaders came from various parties, including Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena, TMC, TDP, SP, and YSRCP. Six of these politicians moved to the BJP in 2024 alone, weeks before the Lok Sabha elections. Opposition parties allege that the Modi government misuses central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Income Tax Department to terrorize the opposition and prevent them from criticizing the regime.

Another report indicates that between 2014 and September 2022, 121 prominent political leaders came under ED scrutiny, with 115 from opposition parties. It is also alleged that Modi’s claims of fighting corruption are false, and his government has engaged in corruption, citing the electoral bonds scam as an example, where BJP was the largest beneficiary of this “clandestine corruption fund” used by corporates to fund political parties.

Judicial Complicity and Systemic Weaknesses

The sources further allege that in many corruption cases involving the Modi regime, courts and investigating agencies turn a blind eye to absolve Modi and his associates because judges and officers allegedly work as “slaves in the Modi empire”. The Adani case, involving alleged money laundering and accounting fraud, is cited where the Supreme Court supposedly “deceptively exonerated” the Adani Group due to the alleged partnership between Gautam Adani and PM Modi, terming it the “Modani corruption scandal”.

Other cases where the Indian judiciary is accused of protecting the Modi regime include the PM-CARES Fund case, Rafale corruption case, Sri Lanka energy project case, Sahara-Birla payoff case, and the Predator Drone deal. The sources also claim that Modi blatantly violates constitutional norms by appointing former judges and officials with “tainted records” to head top offices, such as former Supreme Court judge Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar’s appointment as chairperson of the Lokpal, allegedly as a reward for judgments in favor of the Modi regime.

India’s Deteriorating Corruption Perception and Proposed Solutions

Due to the lack of independent investigations into corruption cases involving Modi or his associates, they allegedly go “scot-free,” allowing Modi to falsely claim he is tackling corruption. Thousands of crores of public money are said to have been embezzled, with hardly any money recovered from politicians.

Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2024, released in February 2025, shows that corruption has increased in India, which dropped to 96th rank from 93rd the previous year, with a score of 38 out of 100, placing it among the world’s most corrupt countries.

The index notes that corruption thrives in authoritarian systems where democratic institutions are undermined and accountability mechanisms are weak, with India’s score closer to authoritarian regimes than full or flawed democracies. The continued impunity of corrupt bureaucrats, politicians, and judges is predicted to spread corruption like a pandemic, keeping India underdeveloped and jeopardizing its global reputation.

To address this, there is an immediate need to establish a judicial forum like the proposed International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC). This forum should work similarly to the International Military Tribunal which was constituted at Nuremberg to prosecute Nazi war criminals for crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Given that Indian jails are allegedly run by corrupt officials who provide luxurious facilities to rich criminals and politicians, the proposed international judicial forum should arrange to keep corrupt Indian politicians in prisons like the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, known for its harsh treatment of prisoners.

By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.

In order to inform the Indian citizens and the global community about the extent of corruption in India, he compiles “India Corruption Research Reports”. In his anti-corruption activities, he participated in a global petition led by Germany-based international organization Transparency International to call for the UN General Assembly Special Session against Corruption, UNGASS 2021, to direct all countries to set up central, public registers of beneficial ownership.

He runs a community-driven anti-corruption social service “Clean House” to help the residents of Delhi raise their voice against the growing corruption and injustice in housing societies where millions of people suffer because of rampant corruption and lawlessness. He also produces The Integrity Bulletin to cover global corruption cases.