Jaipur, April 15: The troubles for retired IAS officer Subodh Agarwal have intensified in connection with the alleged ₹960 crore Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam in Rajasthan. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court has ordered him to be placed in judicial custody for 14 days.
The ACB had sought an extension of his police custody, but Agarwal opposed this during the hearing. After considering arguments from both sides, the court rejected the ACB’s request and ordered his transfer to judicial custody.
During the proceedings, Agarwal questioned the claims made by the investigation agency. He asserted that the agency alleged he failed to answer questions, while he maintained he responded to every inquiry. He challenged, “Which question did I not answer?”
The ACB had prepared an extensive list of around 100 questions for Agarwal and conducted thorough interrogations over the past few days.
Despite this, Agarwal claimed he fully cooperated with the investigation. He also expressed concerns for his safety, filing a petition in court requesting to be kept in a separate cell to ensure his security.
Agarwal has raised questions about the direction of the investigation. He pointed out that out of 37 cases reviewed by the finance committee during his tenure, only four pertained to his time, while the remaining 33 were from his predecessor’s term, involving approximately ₹600 crore. He alleged that the investigation agency is focusing on cases where no money was taken, while overlooking significant discrepancies.
Reports indicate that Agarwal’s health deteriorated during questioning, but subsequent medical examinations found him stable.
Additionally, the court dismissed another petition in which Agarwal sought interim bail to attend his mother-in-law’s thirteenth-day ceremony.
The investigation is ongoing, with the ACB examining financial decisions made during Agarwal’s tenure as chairman of the finance committee for the water supply department from April 2022 to May 2023.
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