Jaipur, May 11, 2026 (Udaipur Kiran) – The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Sanjay Badaya in connection with the alleged multi-crore corruption case linked to the Jal Jeevan Mission in Rajasthan.
According to the ACB, the accused was detained at Delhi Airport after returning from Thailand under a previously issued lookout circular in connection with Case No. 245/2024 registered by the bureau. He was later brought to the ACB headquarters by a special team, formally arrested and produced before the court, which granted police remand till May 13, 2026 for further investigation.
The bureau also presented former minister Mahesh Joshi before the court on Monday, after which he was sent to judicial custody.
The investigation has revealed that firms M/s Shri Ganpati Tubewell Company, owned by Mahesh Mittal, and M/s Shri Shyam Tubewell Company, owned by Padamchand Jain, allegedly prepared fake completion certificates of IRCON International Limited to obtain tenders worth nearly Rs 960 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
The ACB alleged that the fake documents were used in collusion with former PHED minister Mahesh Joshi, former Additional Chief Secretary PHED Subodh Agarwal, senior engineers, contractors and private individuals, including Sanjay Badaya, to secure contracts and commit large-scale corruption.
Investigators further claimed that tender conditions for major projects above Rs 50 crore were manipulated by allegedly including site visit certificate requirements against norms, which exposed bidder identities and enabled tender pooling. According to the ACB, this led to unusually high tender premiums ranging between 30 to 40 percent in projects collectively valued at around Rs 20,000 crore.
The investigation also found that Sanjay Badaya was allegedly close to former minister Mahesh Joshi and had influence over departmental functioning. The probe has also uncovered alleged links with contractors and transactions related to bribe payments, along with claims of pressure on PHED officials regarding transfers and departmental actions.
So far, 12 accused persons, including Mahesh Joshi, retired IAS officer Subodh Agarwal and several engineers and officials, have already been arrested in the case.
The ACB said permanent arrest warrants have been issued against three absconding accused — Mukesh Goyal, Jitendra Sharma and Sanjeev Gupta — and proceedings are underway to declare them proclaimed offenders.
The SIT investigating the matter has been formed under the supervision of Deputy Inspector General of Police Rameshwar Singh. The investigation is being supervised by Additional Director General Smita Srivastava.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
