Jaipur: Rajasthan’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested former minister Mahesh Joshi from his Jaipur residence on Thursday in connection with the alleged ₹900-crore Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam. The arrest follows the apprehension of retired IAS officer Subodh Agarwal last month.

Joshi, who served as the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) minister under the previous Congress administration, was presented before a court and remanded to police custody until May 11. This follows a prior arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in April 2025 related to money laundering charges in the same scam, for which he received Supreme Court bail in December after seven months in custody.
 

An ACB spokesperson stated that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) reached Joshi’s residence near the Jaipur Railway Station around 5 am to detain him. While being transported to court, Joshi claimed he received no prior notice and described the early morning raid as "cruel”.

"Nothing can be more cruel than this. I am innocent. Today is my wedding anniversary, and this is how the government has paid tribute to my wife," Joshi told reporters, adding, "Truth may be challenged, but never be defeated."

The ACB alleges that Joshi exploited his ministerial position to accept bribes in exchange for awarding tenders. The bureau registered its FIR in late 2024, and the spokesperson confirmed that 12 individuals have been arrested so far, including officials and contractors. Some firms reportedly secured contracts by submitting fraudulent completion certificates with the help of complicit officers.

PTI