Overview

• Justice Praveer Bhatnagar dismissed Mahesh Joshi’s bail plea on August 26, keeping the former PHED minister in custody.
• The Enforcement Directorate arrested Joshi on April 24 in a money-laundering probe linked to an alleged Rs 900 crore tender scam under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
• Prosecutors allege bribe-taking and Rs 2.01 crore in illicit receipts, while the defence disputes the claims and describes a Rs 50 lakh transfer to his son’s firm as a repaid loan.
• A special ED court had rejected his bail on June 13, and the agency filed its chargesheet on June 20 after issuing multiple summons last year and in April.
• Investigators report forged certificates and a nexus of officials and contractors uncovered through email scrutiny, and four contractors arrested earlier later secured Supreme Court bail.