JJM scam: ACB arrests Joshi’s aide Badhaya from Delhi airport. jaipur news
Jaipur: Rajasthan Anti Corruption Bureau has arrested Sanjay Bhatya, a close aide of former PHED Minister Mahesh Joshi. Delhi Airport In the early hours of Monday in connection with the alleged Rs 900 crore Jal Jeevan Mission scam. acb director general Govind Gupta Confirmed the arrest.Badhaya was returning from Thailand after attending a wedding when immigration officials alerted the ACB. He was taken into custody at around 2 am. The agency had issued a lookout notice against the accused and was searching for Joshi since his arrest on May 7.“He is suspected to be one of the masterminds behind the scam and has acted as a middleman in financial transactions, transfers, postings and tender-related activities. Badhaya had close links not only with Joshi but also with retired IAS officer Subodh Aggarwal, who was arrested in the same case on April 9 and is currently in jail,” said an ACB official.Badhaya was arrested earlier Enforcement Directorate Got bail from the Supreme Court on July 16, 2024 and later on December 17, 2024.Investigators alleged that Badhaya, who worked in an insurance company and was expected to earn around Rs 7 lakh annually by 2022, amassed substantial wealth during the period of the alleged scam. The ED investigation found that Badhaya and his wife were linked to a real estate firm that were allegedly involved in large financial transactions and attempts to encroach on Jaipur Development Authority land by using forged documents. If found guilty under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the accused can be jailed for up to 10 years.Joshi and Badhaya were produced in the ACB court in Jaipur on Monday. The agency sought police remand of three days for Joshi and five days for Badhaya. However, the court sent Joshi to judicial custody and granted three-day police remand for Badhaya.Outside the court, Joshi alleged that the investigation was being conducted due to political pressure. “Justice will be done. I have nothing to hide or disclose,” he told reporters. Joshi also objected to the lookout circular issued against Badhaya and said that Badhaya had traveled abroad after taking permission from the court.