Middleman Arrested in Rs 20,000 Crore Jal Jeevan Mission Money Laundering Probe

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Sanjay Badaya in the ongoing money laundering investigation linked to Rajasthan’s Jal Jeevan Mission. Badaya is the fourth person arrested in the alleged Rs 20,000 crore scam involving the fraudulent implementation of the scheme to provide tap water to households.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Sanjay Badaya, a middleman, in its ongoing probe into money laundering tied to the Centre's Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scheme in Rajasthan. The Jaipur Zonal office of ED apprehended Badaya late Tuesday after establishing his role as a middleman in the JJM scam.

This arrest marks the fourth in a case involving an alleged Rs 20,000 crore fraud within the Central Government's initiative aimed at providing tap water to every household. The ED, investigating under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), has conducted several raids in Jaipur, including at the residence of an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.

On June 19, the federal agency arrested the third accused, contractor Mahesh Mittal, linked to the case. Mittal, owner of Shri Ganpati Tubewell Company, was taken into custody following new leads. Officials disclosed that Badaya and Mittal, along with others, bribed public servants to secure illegal protection, obtain tenders, sanction bills, and cover irregularities in their executed works under various tenders from the Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED).

Both accused were also implicated in the purchase of stolen goods from Haryana for use in their contracts. The ED initiated an investigation based on a First Information Report (FIR) by the Anti-Corruption Branch in Jaipur, citing that Mittal secured JJM tenders using fake completion certificates by bribing senior PHED officials.

The ED's findings revealed that both Badaya and Mittal are principal suspects who received crime proceeds, laundering the money through various bank accounts held in the names of their family members and reinvesting in properties. The ED has seized Rs 11.03 crore during searches and previously arrested Peeyush Jain and Padamchand Jain in this case. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)