ED conducts raids in Jaipur in Jal Jeevan Mission scam 

JAIPUR: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched an investigation into the allegations of scame in the Jal Jeevan Mission, in Rajasthan. As part of this probe, early morning raids were conducted at several sites in Jaipur and Alwar on Friday, targeting the homes of contractors involved in the mission and PHED officials.

It has been reported that some of the raided sites are connected to prominent political figures in the state. Specific locations in Jaipur, including Vaishali Nagar, Jhotwara, and Sindhi Camp, were searched, along with two spots in Alwar. Interestingly, apart from the usual ED teams from Delhi and Jaipur, a team from Gujarat was also summoned for the Jaipur operation.

Recently, PHED officers and contractors had been arrested on corruption charges by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The ED might also focus on these individuals. These ED activities have created quite a buzz amongst Rajasthan’s political and bureaucratic circles.

The ED officers visited the home of Sanjay Badaya in Banipark, equipped with money-counting machines. I

In another related incident, the official residence of XEN Mayalal Saini from PHED in Behror was searched. Although the house was locked, it was later found out that a local cook had the key. Saini had previously been arrested by the ACB in early August for allegedly accepting a bribe. Additionally, other individuals, including Neemrana’s JEN Pradeep Kumar and contractor Padmachand Jain, were taken into custody in connection with the bribery case.

ED officers intend to scrutinize all documents linked to alleged irregularities in the Jal Jeevan Mission’s water pipeline procurement process. This examination will shed light on the tendering procedure, the background of the awarded company, and potential malpractices in the pipeline purchase and installation process.