Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma Orders ACB Probe Into Jal Jeevan Mission Tender Scam

Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma has ordered an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) investigation against a senior IAS officer and five other officers in connection with allegations of fraud and corruption in the Jal Jeevan Mission tenders during the previous Ashok Gehlot government.

The investigation will be conducted under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act against the department's officers, including the senior IAS officer who was heading the Water Supplies Department as the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) when the alleged scam of Rs 900 crore came to light during August 2023.

Though the names of the IAS and other officers have not been revealed officially by the government, as per record, the most senior IAS officer of the state, Subodh Agarwal, was the ACS of the Water Supplies Department from May 16, 2023, to January 12, 2024. He is currently the CMD of the Rajasthan Finance Corporation (RFC) and retiring this month.

Approval for investigations against 12 officers had previously been granted; now, a total of 18 will be investigated in this alleged scam, which is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as well.

Five accused, including former Water Supplies Minister Mahesh Joshi, have been arrested and sent to jail in the scam. Joshi recently released on bail. In addition to Joshi, the ED has arrested contractors Padmachand Jain, Mahesh Mittal, Piyush Jain, and Sanjay Badaya.