Jaipur: Former Rajasthan Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) minister Mahesh Joshi has received significant relief from the Supreme Court in the alleged Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam. The apex court has granted regular bail to Joshi and co-accused Mukesh Pathak in the ACB case.
Joshi, who served as a minister in the previous government in Rajasthan, had been in custody since his arrest in the case.
The Supreme Court’s decision is expected to pave the way for his release in this matter, subject to the completion of the necessary formalities and any other legal impediments.
The case concerns alleged irregularities in the allocation of government contracts worth hundreds of crores of rupees under the Jal Jeevan Mission. The allegations involve corruption and bribery in the awarding of tenders. A Supreme Court Bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Sheel Nagu heard arguments on Joshi’s bail petition on October 12 and reserved its verdict. The court has now granted bail to the former minister.
Earlier, in August 2026, the Rajasthan High Court rejected the bail pleas of eight accused, including Joshi and former IAS officer Subodh Agarwal. A single-judge Bench of Justice Vipin Gupta cited the seriousness of the allegations and the substantial financial implications for the state exchequer.
Joshi subsequently challenged the High Court’s order before the Supreme Court, seeking relief in the ACB case. Joshi’s legal troubles in the JJM case have involved proceedings before multiple agencies. In April 2025, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged scam.
After spending approximately seven months in custody, he was granted regular bail by the Supreme Court on December 3, 2025. The court took into account his period of incarceration and age, then reported to be 71.
However, the Rajasthan ACB arrested Joshi again on May 7, 2026, from his Jaipur residence in connection with a separate corruption case linked to alleged irregularities in tenders worth more than ₹900 crore and alleged bribery.
He remained in custody in the ACB case until the Supreme Court granted him bail. The Jal Jeevan Mission is a government initiative aimed at providing functional tap-water connections to rural households. In Rajasthan, the implementation of the scheme involved substantial expenditure by the Centre and the state government.
Investigating agencies have alleged irregularities in the awarding of contracts, including the use of forged documents, favouritism towards certain companies and bribery involving officials and intermediaries.
Questions have also been raised over the quality of materials used in projects. The alleged irregularities are being investigated by the ED and the Rajasthan ACB in their respective cases.
The Supreme Court’s bail order provides Joshi relief in the ACB case. However, the grant of bail does not amount to an acquittal, and the allegations against the accused remain subject to judicial proceedings.
(IANS)
