Jodhpur High Court building scam: 7 arrested, 1 detained in SIT probe
Synopsis
A High Court building handed over in 2019 had already begun crumbling — false ceilings collapsing, a courtroom fire, cracks in the dome. Now, years later, an SIT has named names: RSRDC officials, fire-safety contractors, and the primary builder's owner, who was traced across state lines with a ₹50,000 bounty on information. Seven are in custody; the eighth is being processed for arrest.
Key Takeaways
Jodhpur Police arrested seven people and detained an eighth on 9 September in connection with alleged construction irregularities in the new Rajasthan High Court building.
The building was constructed between 2011 and 2019 ; defects including false-ceiling collapse, a fire in Courtroom No.
2 , dome cracks, and pillar damage emerged after handover.
Audits by IIT Jodhpur , IIT Bombay , and PTMES preceded the SIT investigation, which found evidence of alleged criminal breach of trust.
Varendra Garg , owner of VCL Group — the primary contractor — was detained in Haridwar after evading police across multiple states; a ₹50,000 reward had been announced for information on him.
Arrested individuals include former and current RSRDC engineers and project managers, as well as fire-safety system contractors.
Police deployed 12 special teams and 4 cyber teams , conducting raids across Rajasthan , Delhi-NCR , Punjab , and Uttarakhand .
Jodhpur Police have arrested seven people and detained an eighth following a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into alleged irregularities and serious construction defects in the new Rajasthan High Court building in Jodhpur. The arrests, announced on 9 September, target individuals from the primary construction firm, fire-safety contractors, and supervisory officials of the state agency that oversaw the project.
Key Developments in the Case
Police Commissioner Anshuman Bhomia outlined the findings at a press conference, confirming that the SIT had identified suspicious roles played by the construction company, firms linked to the fire-safety system, and officials responsible for project supervision. The investigation centred on the Rajasthan State Road Development and Construction Corporation (RSRDC), the agency tasked with overseeing the build.
Construction of the new High Court building began in 2011 and the structure was handed over in 2019, according to police. A series of structural failures emerged after handover — including the collapse of false ceilings, a fire in Courtroom No. 2, cracks in the central dome, and damage to pillars.
What the SIT Found
Several institutions — IIT Jodhpur, IIT Bombay, and PTMES — conducted audits and structural surveys to assess the building's condition following the defects. Their findings prompted police to constitute the SIT, which collected samples from the building for forensic examination and sought independent expert opinions.
Investigators say the probe raised questions about companies supplying construction materials, agencies executing the work, and individuals responsible for installing the fire-safety system. According to Police Commissioner Bhomia, the investigation found evidence pointing to alleged criminal breach of trust involving officials.
Who Has Been Arrested
Those arrested include Jitendra Sharma, then Assistant Engineer with RSRDC; Naveen Rai, then Project Manager with RSRDC; Rameshwar Dayal and Gopal Lal, associated with the installation of the fire-safety system; Deepak Mittal, formerly with RSRDC and currently an Executive Engineer in Jaipur; and Ajay Kishan Mutha, then Assistant Engineer with RSRDC. A seventh arrest has also been confirmed, and the arrested accused have been taken on remand and are being questioned.
Varendra Garg, owner of VCL Group / Varendra Construction Company — the primary construction firm associated with the project — was detained in Haridwar late on Monday night. According to police, Garg had been changing locations to evade arrest and was traced using technical surveillance and inter-state police coordination. Jodhpur Police had announced a reward of ₹50,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Scale of the Operation
To trace the suspects, police formed 12 special teams and four cyber teams, conducting raids at multiple locations across Rajasthan — including Jodhpur, Jaipur, Kota, Bundi, Ajmer, and Alwar — as well as in Delhi-NCR, Gurugram, Noida, Patiala and Kapurthala in Punjab, and Haridwar in Uttarakhand.
What Happens Next
Investigators have indicated that further action could follow if the enquiry establishes the involvement of additional individuals, officials, or companies. The case raises broader questions about accountability in publicly funded judicial infrastructure — a High Court building that reportedly began deteriorating within years of its handover. With remand questioning underway, the scope of the probe is expected to widen.
Point of View
Yet action came only after audits by multiple IITs forced the issue. The involvement of RSRDC officials at multiple levels suggests systemic lapses in supervision, not just individual misconduct. What remains unanswered is why quality-control mechanisms at the state agency failed for so long, and whether the forensic and expert findings will be robust enough to sustain prosecution. If they are not, a high-profile arrest sweep risks becoming a procedural exercise that leaves the structural rot — literal and institutional — unaddressed.
NationPress
9 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the construction defects found in the Rajasthan High Court building in Jodhpur?
The defects reported after the building's handover in 2019 include the collapse of false ceilings, a fire in Courtroom No. 2, cracks in the central dome, and damage to pillars. Structural audits were subsequently conducted by IIT Jodhpur, IIT Bombay, and PTMES to assess the extent of the damage.
Who has been arrested in the Jodhpur High Court building case?
Seven people have been arrested, including Jitendra Sharma and Ajay Kishan Mutha (then Assistant Engineers with RSRDC), Naveen Rai (then Project Manager with RSRDC), Deepak Mittal (formerly RSRDC, currently an Executive Engineer in Jaipur), and Rameshwar Dayal and Gopal Lal (fire-safety system contractors). Varendra Garg, owner of VCL Group — the primary construction firm — was detained in Haridwar.
What is the RSRDC and what was its role in this case?
The Rajasthan State Road Development and Construction Corporation (RSRDC) was the state agency responsible for overseeing and supervising the construction of the new Rajasthan High Court building. The SIT probe found that several RSRDC officials' roles were suspicious, with evidence reportedly pointing to alleged criminal breach of trust.
How did police trace Varendra Garg, the primary contractor?
Varendra Garg, owner of VCL Group, was traced to Haridwar in Uttarakhand using technical surveillance and coordination with police in other states. He had reportedly been changing locations to evade arrest, and Jodhpur Police had announced a ₹50,000 reward for information leading to his detention.
What happens next in the Jodhpur High Court construction case?
The arrested accused are currently on remand and being questioned. Investigators have said further action could follow if the enquiry establishes the involvement of additional individuals, officials, or companies. Forensic examination of samples collected from the building is also part of the ongoing investigation.
