Jaipur, April 25, 2025.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Thursday arrested former public health and engineering department (PHED) minister and Congress leader Mahesh Joshi in connection with alleged money laundering in the Jal Jeevan Mission case. The arrest came after seven hours of intense questioning at the ED’s zonal office in the city.
Joshi was arrested under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED has claimed to have found substantial evidence, including bank details and documents of movable and immovable properties, linking Joshi to the case.
The investigation stems from an FIR filed by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB), Jaipur, which alleged that Padamchand Jain, owner of Shree Shyam Tubewell Co, and others were involved in bribing public servants to secure tenders and cover up irregularities in PHED projects under the previous Congress govt.
The case has already seen several arrests, including Mahesh Mittal, Padam Chand Jain, Piyush Jain and Sanjay Badaya, all of whom were later granted bail by the Supreme Court. Notably, Joshi’s arrest follows a Supreme Court observation during Badaya’s bail hearing, questioning why the then PHED minister has not been made an accused in the case. The court’s questioning prompted the ED to act against Joshi, who was served a notice on April 22 to appear for questioning.
Maintaining his innocence, Joshi told reporters, “My wife is on her deathbed… This is a conspiracy against me. I was arrested on statements given by persons and companies who were blacklisted during my stint as the PHED minister.” He expressed confidence in the judiciary, stating “the truth will prevail”.
ED officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that Joshi was questioned about specific bank accounts, properties and tender allocations during his tenure as minister.
He was taken for a medical examination to SMS Hospital before being produced in the PMLA court, which remanded him in four-day ED custody.
Deepak Chauhan, counsel appearing for Joshi, said the court allowed home-made food and required medicines for Joshi. “He is 71 years old and a diabetic. We requested the court to allow home-cooked food and medicines,” said Chauhan.
