40 teams, 100 raids, one missing IAS officer: Rajasthan's Rs 900 cr water scam hunt intensifies

Rajasthan’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has intensified its hunt for retired IAS officer Subodh Agarwal and other accused in the alleged Rs 900 crore Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam , marking one of the state’s largest anti-corruption operations in recent years.

The Jal Jeevan Mission , aimed at providing safe and potable tap water to every rural household , involves extensive tenders for infrastructure, supply lines, and water treatment projects. The scam allegedly involved forged completion certificates and collusion by Agarwal and his associates, allowing certain firms to secure tenders unfairly and divert funds , exposing gaps in the procurement and verification process.

The ACB has deployed 40 teams over 16 days , conducting raids at over 100 locations across 21 cities , including Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Mumbai, and New Delhi. Around 50 individuals , including relatives, friends, and associates, have been questioned. Key figures brought to Jaipur include Agarwal’s cousins Gaurav and Saurabh Agarwal , his wife’s cousin Sameer Agarwal , and businessman Pranav Chandra .

Political reactions have been strong. The ruling party has urged swift justice and tighter oversight in state schemes, while the opposition has criticized administrative lapses, demanding immediate accountability and legal action.

A lookout notice has been issued against Agarwal, and three other accused, Jitendra Sharma, Mukesh Goyal, and Sanjeev Gupta , remain at large. If found guilty, they could face charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act and related criminal statutes , including lengthy prison terms and heavy financial penalties.

The probe highlights systemic vulnerabilities in large-scale government programs and sends a strong signal that high-level corruption in crucial public schemes will face relentless scrutiny.