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Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Mithi River desilting fraud accused denied bail
MUMBAI: An additional chief judicial magistrate court has denied bail to Jay Ashok Joshi and Ketan Kadam, who were arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in Mithi river desilting contracts. In a detailed order dated May 22, the court observed that the duo had caused losses worth ₹65 crore to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the public. Kadam, 50, is the director of Woder India LLP, a Mumbai-based company that provides desilting services, while Joshi, 49, is associated with Virgo Specialties Pvt Ltd, a Mumbai-based industrial product manufacturer. According to the police, the duo charged the BMC inflated amounts to rent silt pusher machines and dredging equipment from a Kochi-based firm, Matprop Technical Services Pvt Ltd. Matprop executives connived with officials from the BMC's storm water drains department (SWD) to defraud the civic body, the police said. The defence submitted that Kadam and Joshi were not beneficiaries of any illegal gains and their firms had nothing to do with tenders floated for desilting prior to 2021 since they did not supply any machines to any of the contractors. Joshi's advocate stated that he was an investor and financier involved in multiple business ventures and only delivered machines to contractors. He did not have any concern regarding the tender issued by the BMC for desilting Mithi river, the lawyer said. Kadam's advocate argued that he was neither a partner nor a director in Virgo or Woder. The prosecution submitted that the duo had committed serious offence, the defrauded amount was huge, and recovery was pending. The court rejected the argument that the duo had nothing to do with the BMC contract since the tender condition permitted the contractor to either own a machine or take it on rent. Joshi had used his influence to interfere in the tender process, the court said. 'It seems that though the applicant does not have any direct concern with the tender floated by BMC, he used his influence by using his contacts with the officers of the municipal corporation and got the conditions of the tender modified,' the court observed. The court said that the investigation was not yet complete, and many accused were yet to be arrested. 'Due to the act of the accused, wrongful loss is caused to the government and public at large,' said the court. It rejected the bail pleas of the duo, saying they might create hurdles in the probe. Meanwhile, two BMC officials – deputy chief engineer of the stormwater drains department (operation and maintenance) Prashant Tayshete and deputy chief engineer of Mithi River Development Project Prashant Ramugade – have also moved the sessions court seeking anticipatory bail.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bail pleas of two held in Mithi desilting scam case rejected
Mumbai: A magistrate's court has rejected the bail plea of two middlemen arrested in the Mithi River desilting scam case, observing that more than Rs 65 crore is involved and wrongful loss was caused to the govt and public at large due to the act of the accused. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Earlier this month, the police's Economic Offences Wing arrested Ketan Kadam, director of Woder India LLP, and Jayesh Joshi of Virgo Specialities, who allegedly supplied equipment like silt pusher machines to various contractors assigned to desilting the Mithi river. Rejecting their bail pleas in separate orders, additional chief judicial magistrate Vinod Patil said, "It is the case of the prosecution that the accused, by using his influence and maintaining good terms with officers of the municipal corporation, caused loss... and grabbed some amounts... If the present accused is released on bail, the possibility of causing a hurdle in the investigation cannot be ruled out." BMC officers — Prashant Tayshete, deputy chief engineer of stormwater drains dept (Operation & Maintenance) and Prashant Ramugade, deputy chief engineer of Mithi River Development Project — have moved the sessions court seeking anticipatory bail. It is the case of the prosecution that Joshi is the mastermind and he used his influence on the officers. Seeking bail, Kadam's lawyer submitted that since the prosecution's case relies solely on documentary evidence, his custody is not warranted. It was also submitted that he did not receive a single rupee and is neither a director nor a partner in Virgo or Woder. The lawyer claimed that Kadam was made a scapegoat. Joshi submitted that he neither received any illegal gains, nor did he or his company receive extra margin, as alleged by the prosecution. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The prosecution alleged that he used "undue influence" and "contacts" with MCGM officers to interfere with the tender process, even incurring expenses for their tours to Delhi. It was contended that Joshi influenced the modification of tender conditions to favour the inclusion of specific machines, thereby causing wrongful loss to the govt and the public at large.
