On Wednesday, Congress leader Ajay Maken accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal of being involved in a health-related scam amounting to Rs 382 crore. According to Maken, one of the 14 reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) indicates a health-related scam linked to Kejriwal’s administration.

"The Delhi CM made his party on the basis that he will fight corruption... At that time, he made corruption allegations against Congress based on CAG reports. Today, there are 14 CAG reports that make serious corruption allegations against Arvind Kejriwal. One such CAG report suggests a scam by Arvind Kejriwal related to health, which is worth Rs 382 crore," Maken said at a press conference.

Maken alleged that irregularities in additional expenditure on three hospitals, as outlined in the CAG report, were the primary reason the reports were prevented from being presented.

"The CAG reports suggest that a sum of Rs 382.52 crore more than the tender was spent on three hospitals. This is the reason that Arvind Kejriwal did not let the CAG report be presented in the Vidhan Sabha. I am making a direct allegation that this is the reason that the CAG report was stopped," Maken alleged to AAP.

He further criticised the AAP government for delays in hospital construction, pointing out that only three hospitals have been completed in the last decade. Maken emphasised that these projects were initiated during the Congress’ tenure. 

"The CAG report says that three hospitals have been prepared in the last 10 years. All three of them were started in Congress time. The delay in Indira Gandhi Hospital was five years, Burari Hospital was delayed by six years, and Maulana Azad Dental Hospital was delayed by three years," Ajay Maken stated.

He added that an additional Rs 314 crore was spent on Indira Gandhi Hospital in Delhi, an extra Rs 41 crore on Burari Hospital, and a further Rs 26 crore on Maulana Azad Dental Hospital beyond the original tender amounts. 

The Congress leader also disclosed that Rs 2,623 crore allocated for the infrastructure budget between 2016-17 and 2021-22 remained unutilised and ultimately lapsed. Of the Rs 653 crore grant provided by the central government during the COVID-19 crisis, Rs 360 crore was left unused. Maken further criticised the AAP government, pointing out that they installed only 1,235 medical beds, falling significantly short of the announced 32,000 beds.

"From 2016-17 to 2021-22, Rs 2,623 crore sanctioned for infrastructure budget lapsed because the money was not spent. This was also the Covid period. This is criminal negligence that Rs 2623 crore lapsed. This is the reason why the CAG report was not presented. During Covid, they got a Rs 635 crore grant from the centre. Out of which, Rs 360 crore were not spent at all... People were dying due to lack of medical facilities, and 56 per cent of the grant given by the centre remained unused... From 2016-17 to 2021-22, in four different budgets, they announced that they will install 32,000 medical beds... But only 1,235 beds were installed. Only 3.8 per cent achievement... This is also in the CAG report on which they (AAP) are sitting," Maken stated.

Maken highlighted severe shortages in the medical staff at Rajiv Gandhi and Janakpuri Super Speciality hospitals, noting that the shortage of doctors ranged between 50 to 74 per cent. In contrast, the nursing staff faced an even more significant deficit, with shortages ranging from 73 to 96 per cent.

"In Rajiv Gandhi and Janakpuri Super Speciality hospitals, doctor shortage is 50-74 per cent... The nursing staff is short by 73-96 per cent. Paramedic staff is short by 17-62 per cent... This is what the CAG report says... In the Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital, the bed occupancy rate is 20-40% because of a shortage of staff," the Congress leader further said.