ED conducts raids in Rajasthan to probe 'Jal Jeevan Mission' irregularities

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted multi-city searches in Rajasthan as part of a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Centre's 'Jal Jeevan Mission' in the Congress-ruled state, official sources said.

A number of premises belonging to engineers, contractors and some former state government officials in Jaipur, Alwar and a few other cities are being searched, they said.

The searches are being conducted under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Some documents and gadgets have been recovered till now, the sources said.

The money laundering case is understood to have stemmed from a Rajasthan Police FIR.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena had in June alleged a scam of Rs 20,000 crore in the implementation of the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' in Rajasthan.

He had alleged that tenders worth Rs 900 crore were issued to two firms based on fake experience certificates in 48 projects of the scheme.

"A scam of Rs 20,000 crore was committed under the Centre's Jal Jeevan Mission... This was done together by the PHED minister and the department secretary," Meena had alleged.

The 'Jal Jeevan Mission' aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through household tap connections and is being implemented by the state public health engineering department (PHED).