Former Rajasthan minister and senior Congress leader Mahesh Joshi has been granted bail by the Supreme Court. Joshi, who was lodged in Jaipur Central Jail for his alleged involvement in the Jal Jeevan Mission scam, will now walk free after nearly seven months in custody.
A bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice A.G. Masih granted the bail to Joshi, who was arrested on April 24 in connection with the alleged ₹900-crore scam.
HC Rejection Led to SLP in Supreme Court
The Rajasthan High Court had rejected his bail plea on August 26, following which Joshi approached the Supreme Court with a Special Leave Petition (SLP).
ED’s Allegations and FIR Details
Investigating the case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) accused Joshi of accepting a ₹55-lakh bribe. An FIR was filed on October 30, 2024, against Joshi and 22 other officials. The FIR mentions Joshi and his position as minister 18 times.
Defence Argument: ‘No Bribery Proven’
Joshi's lawyers argued before the Supreme Court that he has been in jail for seven months and the trial has not begun.
They stated that the ED’s allegations are unsupported by records. According to the defence, the ₹55 lakh was a loan taken by Joshi’s son’s firm and was fully returned, raising the question: “If it was a bribe, why was it returned?”
The lawyers said that since the ED has no answer to this, Joshi should be released on bail until the trial concludes.
ED Opposes Bail Over Witness Influence
Opposing the plea, the ED said that Joshi’s role is also reflected in other FIRs filed by the ACB.
The agency argued that simply returning the money does not erase the alleged crime, claiming Joshi accepted a bribe linked to the department’s tender process.
It further submitted that granting bail could allow Joshi to influence witnesses.
Political Context
Mahesh Joshi is known to be a close aide of former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. As the state’s water supply minister in the Gehlot cabinet, his alleged role in the Jal Jeevan Mission scam had become a key political flashpoint during the Rajasthan Assembly elections.
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