Jaipur, June 12: Former Rajasthan Minister and senior Congress leader Mahesh Joshi faces increasing legal troubles in the alleged Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam. The Rajasthan High Court dismissed his petition challenging the legality of his arrest, leaving him without relief and maintaining his judicial custody.
A bench comprising Justices Umashankar Vyas and Ashok Kumar Jain rejected the habeas corpus petition filed by Mahesh Joshi’s son, Rohit Joshi. The petition claimed that the arrest process conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was illegal.
Advocates Aman Agarwal and Neha Goyal, representing the petitioner, argued that during Mahesh Joshi’s arrest on May 7 at his residence in Jaipur, the ACB failed to adhere to the provisions of the Indian National Security Code (BNSC). They contended that the family was not provided timely written information regarding the reasons for the arrest, which is mandatory under the law. This formed the basis for their demand for Mahesh Joshi’s immediate release.
In contrast, the state government, represented by Advocate General Rajendra Prasad and Additional Advocate General Rajesh Chaudhary, asserted in court that the arrest was conducted legally and transparently. They noted that family members were present during the arrest and were fully informed about the proceedings. Additionally, investigation officials had continuously notified Rohit Joshi via phone that Mahesh Joshi was being taken to the ACB headquarters and later presented in a special court.
Agreeing with the state government’s arguments, the High Court dismissed the petition and upheld the special court’s earlier order, which had already deemed the arrest valid.
This case is linked to alleged irregularities under the Jal Jeevan Mission during the Ashok Gehlot government in 2021. According to investigating agencies, private companies, including Shyam Tubewell and Ganpati Tubewell, obtained contracts worth approximately ₹960 crores from the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) based on fraudulent experience certificates from the public sector company Ircon.
The ACB alleges that these companies colluded with senior department officials and other accused to secure contracts through forged documents. Additionally, investigations by the ACB and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have indicated possible bribery and commission transactions in exchange for passing tenders and overlooking regulations.
Mahesh Joshi is currently under investigation by both the ACB and the ED. While the ACB is probing alleged corruption in the JJM contracts, the ED is investigating a parallel money laundering case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The High Court’s refusal to intervene in the arrest is considered a significant legal setback for Mahesh Joshi. It is also viewed as an important judicial development in Rajasthan’s notable corruption cases.
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