ED raids 37 locations in classroom case probe

ED'S CASE IS BASED ON AN ACB FIR, WHICH IS INVESTIGATING ALLEGED LAPSES IN CONSTRUCTION OF SEMI-PERMANENT CLASSROOMS IN GOVT SCHOOLS

- Neeraj Chauhan

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday raided 37 locations across the National Capital Region in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the construction of classrooms under the previous Delhi government, according to officials familiar with the investigation.

The raids targeted private contractors associated with the project, which is already under the scanner of the Delhi government's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), the people cited above said.

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and former ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain are being probed by ACB.

The ED's case, filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), is based on a first information report (FIR) registered by ACB, which is investigating procedural lapses and alleged corruption in the construction of 12,748 semi-permanent classrooms in Delhi government schools. Originally pegged at ₹860 crore, the project's cost reportedly escalated to over ₹2,800 crore—without fresh tenders or compliance with procurement rules.