Former Minister Mahesh Joshi Granted Bail by Supreme Court in Jal Jeevan Mission Scam Case

Jaipur: In a major relief for former minister Dr. Mahesh Joshi, the Supreme Court has granted him bail in connection with the ₹900 crore Jal Jeevan Mission scam. Dr. Joshi, who served as the Water Supply Minister in the previous Congress government, has been in Central Jail, Jaipur for the past seven months. With the Supreme Court’s order, his supporters celebrated the decision, and reports suggest that he could be released from jail today, once the bail documents are formally received by the jail authorities.

Dr. Joshi was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on April 24 in connection with alleged irregularities in the Jal Jeevan Mission project. At the time of his arrest, his wife was critically ill in the hospital and passed away just four days after he was taken into custody. He was granted four days’ interim bail to perform the last rites, after which he returned to jail.

The Rajasthan High Court had rejected his bail on August 26, prompting Dr. Joshi to approach the Supreme Court. During the hearing on 21 November, the apex court reserved its judgment, which was announced today.

Dr. Joshi’s lawyers argued before the Supreme Court that he has been in jail for seven months without the trial even beginning. They contended that the allegations by the ED do not establish any concrete proof of bribery, citing that even if a loan was given to his son’s firm and subsequently repaid, it cannot constitute a bribery case. Considering the arguments, the Supreme Court accepted the plea and granted bail until the trial commences.

This development marks a significant turn in the high-profile case, allowing Dr. Joshi to regain his freedom while awaiting trial.