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In what is being hailed as one of the most aggressive anti-corruption operations in recent history, the Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) launched a coordinated, nationwide strike on February 17-18, 2026. The target: a massive ₹900 crore scam within the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a scheme meant to provide clean drinking water to Rajasthan’s parched rural households.
By the morning of Thursday, February 19, the fallout had sent shockwaves through the state’s bureaucracy, with ten high-ranking officials behind bars and a Lookout Circular (LOC) issued for a former top-tier IAS officer.
1. The ‘Vanishing’ IAS Officer
The investigation's focal point is Subodh Agarwal, a 1988-batch IAS officer who retired as Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) in December 2025.
The Hunt: When ACB teams raided Agarwal’s residence on February 17, they found it empty.
The Lookout: Fearing he might flee the country, the ACB has officially requested a Lookout Circular from the Bureau of Immigration.
The Allegation: Investigators suspect Agarwal facilitated tenders worth hundreds of crores for select firms using forged experience certificates.
2. 10 ‘Big Fish’ in the Net
Following simultaneous raids across 15 locations in Jaipur, Delhi, Bihar, and Jharkhand, the ACB arrested ten key players. On Wednesday, a special court remanded them to 3-day police custody.
| Name | Designation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Dinesh Goyal | Chief Engineer (Administration) | Arrested |
| K.D. Gupta | Chief Engineer (Rural) | Arrested |
| Subhanshu Dixit | Addl. Chief Engineer (Jaipur-II) | Arrested |
| Niril Kumar | Chief Engineer (Churu) | Arrested |
| Sushil Sharma | Financial Advisor (Renewable Energy) | Arrested |
| Arun Srivastava | Retired Addl. Chief Engineer | Arrested |
| D.K. Gaur | Retired Chief Engineer | Arrested |
| Vishal Saxena | Suspended Executive Engineer | Arrested |
| Mukesh Pathak | Middleman/Agent (Caught in Bilaspur) | Arrested |
| Mahendra Soni | Retired Superintending Engineer | Arrested |
3. The Modus Operandi: Forgery and ‘Tender Pooling’
The scam wasn’t just about bribery; it was a masterclass in institutional manipulation:
The Fake Credentials: Two firms Ganpati Tubewell Company and Shyam Tubewell Company—allegedly secured contracts worth ₹960 crore by submitting forged completion certificates in the name of the central PSU IRCON.
Manipulated Rules: To ensure their preferred contractors won, officials allegedly inserted a "mandatory site visit" clause for projects over ₹50 crore. This allowed them to identify competing bidders early and force them out through "tender pooling."
The ‘Shadow’ Payments: In some districts, contractors were paid nearly ₹55 crore for work that existed only on paper, using substandard materials or skipping installations entirely.
4. The Political Overtones
Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedam has vowed that the "unholy nexus" created during the previous regime will be dismantled. With over 130 other engineers currently under the scanner, this is likely only the first wave of arrests in a probe that seeks to recover funds meant for the "thirst-quenching" mission of Rajasthan
Read More: The 900 Crore Paper Pipeline Rajasthan ACB Shatters the JJM Nexus
