Irregularities in execution of Jal Jeevan Mission: ED seizes cash, gold bar after raids in Rajasthan

Unaccounted cash of Rs 2.32 crore and a gold bar worth Rs 64 lakh were seized after searches in multiple cities of Rajasthan in a money laundering case

New Delhi: Unaccounted cash of Rs 2.32 crore and a gold bar worth Rs 64 lakh were seized after searches in multiple cities of Rajasthan in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the execution of the Centre’s Jal Jeevan Mission scheme, the Enforcement Directorate said on Monday.

The raids were launched on September 1 at various premises located in state capital Jaipur, Alwar, Neemrana, Behror and Shahpura, it said in a statement The money laundering case stems from a Rajasthan anti-corruption bureau (ACB) FIR which alleged that Padamchand Jain, proprietor of Shree Shyam Tubewell Company, Mahesh Mittal, proprietor of Shree Ganpati Tubewell Company and others were involved in “giving bribes” to public servants in order to obtain illegal protection, obtaining tenders, getting bills sanctioned and covering up irregularities in respect of work executed by them in respect of various tenders received by them from the public health and engineering department (PHED).

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“The suspects were also involved in the purchase of stolen goods from Haryana for using the same in their tenders/contracts and had also submitted fake work completion letters from IRCON to get PHED contracts,” the agency alleged.

Unaccounted cash of Rs 2.32 crore, a 1 kg gold bar worth Rs 64 lakh, “incriminating” documents including digital evidences, hard disks, mobiles etc. were seized which show “large-scale transactions done by these individuals in connivance with PHED officials.” The Jal Jeevan mission launched by the Union government aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through household tap connections and it was being implemented by the state PHED in Rajasthan.