Jaipur, May 7: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) team presented former minister Mahesh Joshi in court on Thursday, where he was remanded to ACB custody until May 11, 2026, officials reported.
Joshi was arrested at his residence in Jaipur by a special investigation team of the ACB in connection with alleged large-scale corruption uncovered in the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission.’ The ACB officials stated that the investigation is ongoing.
According to the investigation, firms named Ganpati Tubewell Company (owned by Mahesh Mittal) and Shree Shyam Tubewell Company (owned by Padmachand Jain) allegedly used forged completion certificates from Ircon International Limited to secure government tenders in Rajasthan.
Investigators have accused these firms of colluding with Joshi, former Additional Chief Secretary of the Public Health Engineering Department Subodh Agarwal, senior officials of the department, contractors, and private individuals, including Sanjay Badaya.
As a result of this alleged conspiracy, the firms fraudulently obtained tenders worth approximately ₹960 crore.
The special investigation team further alleged that mandatory ‘Site Visit Certificates’ were deliberately included in the tender conditions for projects exceeding ₹50 crore, reportedly to reveal the identities of bidders and facilitate ‘tender pooling.’
Investigators claim this led to unusually high premiums of 30-40% being approved by officials of the Public Health Engineering Department, resulting in alleged corruption in tenders worth around ₹20,000 crore.
So far, eleven accused individuals have been arrested, including retired Indian Administrative Service officer Subodh Agarwal, senior engineers, financial advisors, and private individuals linked to the Public Health Engineering Department and associated agencies.
The court has issued permanent arrest warrants against three absconding accused—Mukesh Goyal, Jitendra Sharma, and Sanjeev Gupta—while the process to declare them fugitives is ongoing.
Meanwhile, five other accused have received protection from arrest from the High Court.
The special investigation team, formed to probe the case, is being overseen by Additional Director General Smita Srivastava and Deputy Inspector General of Police Rameshwar Singh.
Officials reported that detailed questioning, evidence collection, and technical analysis are ongoing as part of the investigation.
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.
