Jal Jeevan Mission scam case | ED seizes and freezes ₹2.21 crore
The Hindu
ED seizes ₹2.21 crore in JJM scam in Rajasthan; searches at 26 locations. Accused include senior PHED officials, contractors & middlemen. Fake work completion certificates & bribes used to secure tenders. Total seizure till date is ₹11.03 crore, including gold/silver worth ₹6.50 crore.
The Enforcement Directorate has seized or frozen ₹2.21 crore, including ₹1.73 crore in bank balance, following searches at 26 locations in poll-bound Rajasthan’s Jaipur and Dausa, in connection with an alleged Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam.
On Friday, the searches were conducted on the official and residential premises of senior Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) officials, including Additional Chief Secretary Subodh Agarwal, apart from private individuals.
The ED investigation is based on a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Among the accused persons are Padamchand Jain, proprietor of Shree Shyam Tubewell Company; Mahesh Mittal, proprietor Shree Ganpati Tubewell Company; and others, including PHED officials.
Another FIR was registered by the Bajaj Nagar police in the State on a complaint alleging use of fake work experience certificate by one of the suspect firms.
On Saturday, ED said its probe revealed that the contractors in question were involved in securing tenders pertaining to JJM works based on purported fake work completion certificates issued by Indian Railway Construction International Limited and by bribing senior PHED officials.
“Several middlemen and property dealers have aided the PHED officials in siphoning off the illegally earned money from the JJM scam...total seizure in this case till date is ₹11.03 crore, including gold/silver worth ₹6.50 crore,” said the agency.
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