Supreme Court Grants Bail to Former Rajasthan Minister Mahesh Joshi After Seven Months in Jail

Mahesh Joshi, a former Rajasthan minister, has been granted bail by the Supreme Court after spending almost seven months in jail due to allegations linked to the Jal Jeevan Mission scam. His arrest by the Enforcement Directorate raised questions about bribery and misconduct in the tendering process. Joshi's legal team argued that the evidence against him was insufficient, while the ED expressed concerns about potential witness tampering. The case highlights significant issues within the Jal Jeevan Scheme, where funds were allegedly misappropriated. Joshi's release is expected to occur soon as formalities are completed.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 3, 2025, 15:22 IST

Bail Granted to Mahesh Joshi

Jaipur, December 3: The Supreme Court has granted bail to Mahesh Joshi, a former minister in Rajasthan and a member of the Congress party, after he spent nearly seven months in Jaipur Central Jail.

Joshi was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on April 24, as part of an investigation into the alleged Rs 900 crore Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam. His request for bail was denied by the Rajasthan High Court on August 26, prompting him to appeal to the Supreme Court.

A bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice A.G. Masih issued the bail order on December 3, following a judgment reserved on November 21.

Notably, Joshi's wife passed away on April 28, shortly after his arrest. Although he was granted a temporary bail for four days, he has remained incarcerated since then.

During the hearing, senior advocates Siddharth Luthra and Vivek Jain, representing Joshi, argued that he had been in jail for seven months without the trial commencing. They contended that the evidence presented by the ED does not definitively prove bribery.

The ED alleged that Joshi accepted a bribe of Rs 55 lakh in connection with a loan for his son's business, but the amount was returned. The defense questioned, “If this was indeed a bribe, why was it returned?” They claimed the ED did not provide a satisfactory answer.

In opposition to the bail, the ED pointed out that Joshi's involvement was evident in other FIRs filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). They argued that the Rs 55 lakh transaction indicated misconduct related to the tendering process, asserting that returning the money does not eliminate criminal intent.

The agency also expressed concerns that Joshi might influence witnesses if released.

Under the Jal Jeevan Scheme, funding was to be shared equally between the state and central governments.

The complaint alleged that required ductile iron (DI) pipelines were replaced with HDPE pipelines, and payments were made for work that was never completed. Contractors reportedly colluded with officials to claim payments for non-existent pipeline installations. One contractor, Padmachand Jain, allegedly used stolen pipelines from Haryana, misrepresenting them as new materials, and secured the tender using fraudulent company documents, which officials allegedly ignored due to political connections.

Joshi's release is anticipated soon, pending the completion of necessary formalities.