NEW DELHI, June 25 -- The Centre, on recommendation of lieutenant governor VK Saxena, has granted sanction to the Delhi government's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) to investigate former health ministers Saurabh Bhardwaj and Satyendar Jain under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The investigation will examine alleged financial irregularities, construction delays, and inflated costs in the development of 24 Delhi government hospitals in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. Officials familiar with the matter said that ACB sought the Centre's sanction in August 2024 following a complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Vijender Gupta, who alleged "large-scale corruption" in the city's health infrastructure projects. The LG forwarded the request to the Union government on May 6, 2025. AAP responded by calling the move a politically motivated "farce," while Bhardwaj said the probe into his role, despite his appointment as health minister after the approvals, was "ridiculous and desperate." As per officials, the ACB investigation will cover 24 hospital projects which were sanctioned in 2018-19 at a projected cost of Rs.5,590 crore, but were allegedly delayed and their cost inflated.htc...