Rajasthan: Former minister surrenders in Jal Jeevan Mission scam case

Jaipur, May 1 (IANS) Former Rajasthan Minister Mahesh Joshi, an accused in the Rs 900 crore Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam, surrendered at Jaipur Central Jail on Thursday evening following the expiry of his interim bail.

He will spend the night in jail while the court reserves its decision on his plea for further relief. Joshi has sought a nine-day interim bail to perform rituals following the recent death of his wife.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) court heard his petition on Thursday, but the decision is expected on Friday. Joshi’s lawyer, Deepak Chauhan, argued that his client needs to be present for essential post-death rituals, particularly those to be conducted before the 13th day, which must be performed by the husband.

He added that a large number of people are visiting Joshi's residence to offer condolences, underlining the emotional and cultural importance of his presence.

Joshi was arrested by the ED on April 24 in connection with the JJM scam. On April 28, following his wife’s passing, he was granted four days of interim bail. With that relief ending, he surrendered as required. The court had earlier remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody.

So far, Piyush Jain, Padam Chand Jain, Mahesh Mittal, and Sanjay Badaya have also been arrested in the case. The scam is tied to the central government's 'Jal Jeevan Mission Yojana,' which aims to provide tap water to every household.

In 2021, contractors Padam Chand Jain and Mahesh Mittal, associated with Shri Shyam Tubewell Company and M/s Shri Ganapati Tubewell Company, allegedly obtained four high-value tenders from the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) using fake experience certificates.

Shri Ganapati Tubewell Company reportedly participated in 68 tenders using fraudulent documents, winning 31 tenders worth Rs 859.2 crore. Shri Shyam Tubewell Company participated in 169 tenders and secured contracts worth Rs 120.25 crore in 73 tenders.

After the scam came to light, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) initiated an investigation, leading to the arrest of several corrupt officials.

The ED later registered a case, conducted raids at the residences of Mahesh Joshi, Sanjay Badaya, and others, and submitted its findings to the ACB on May 4. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also registered a case on May 3, 2024.

--IANS

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