Jaipur, May 11 (IANS) The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has taken Sanjay Badaya, alleged mastermind and key middleman in the Rs 900 crore Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam, into custody at Delhi airport.
He is currently being brought to Jaipur for further investigation, said officials on Monday.
As per the officials, Badaya had travelled to Thailand to attend a wedding ceremony. Upon his arrival at Delhi airport, the Bureau of Immigration immediately alerted the ACB. Subsequently, around 2 a.m., an ACB team detained him. A look-out notice had already been issued against him on May 10 amid concerns that he might flee abroad.
Three other accused in the case are still absconding.
According to investigative agencies, Sanjay Badaya played the role of the primary middleman in the JJM scam. He is alleged to be a close associate of former Water Supply Minister Mahesh Joshi and retired IAS officer Subodh Agarwal, both of whom have been arrested.
Agencies claim he was actively involved in financial transactions, transfer and posting operations, recruitment of new individuals, and facilitating alleged irregularities in the tender process. Badaya is a resident of Jaipur’s Bani Park area.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him on July 16, 2024, and he was later granted bail by the Supreme Court on December 17, 2024.
Investigators revealed that until 2022, Badaya worked at an insurance company with an annual salary of around Rs 7 lakh. However, following the alleged JJM scam, he reportedly amassed significant wealth within a short period.
The ED investigation further revealed that he had established a company in which his wife, Naina Badaya, was also a partner. The company allegedly conducted business worth crores in Jaipur. Investigators also uncovered alleged attempts to encroach upon Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) land using forged documents. In connection with the case, the ACB arrested former Water Supply Minister Mahesh Joshi on May 7. The court remanded him to ACB custody until May 11.
Following the completion of the remand period, he is scheduled to be produced before the ACB court on Monday.
Earlier, on April 9, then-Additional Chief Secretary Subodh Agarwal was also arrested and is currently lodged in jail.
According to the ACB’s preliminary investigation and charge sheet, if charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act are proven, Mahesh Joshi, Subodh Agarwal, and other co-accused could face rigorous imprisonment of up to 10 years.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of DIG Dr Rameshwar Singh. ASP Mahaveer Prasad Sharma, ASP Bhupendra Singh, and ASP Himanshu Kuldeep were part of the team involved in the arrest operation. The action was reportedly carried out under the directives of DG Govind Gupta and ADG Smita Srivastava.
–IANS
arc/dpb