Jaipur, Dec 9 (NationPress) In a decisive action against corruption, the Rajasthan government has ramped up efforts in the suspected Jal Jeevan Mission fraud by sanctioning an extensive investigation into six officials, including the former Additional Chief Secretary of the Public Health Engineering Department.

This decision comes in light of ongoing inquiries by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), investigating alleged fraud and collusion during the tendering process for the water supply initiative.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has granted prior approval under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act for a thorough investigation into the irregularities tied to the technical and financial evaluations of tenders.

The officials under investigation include senior engineering personnel such as a Chief Engineer, Executive Engineer, and Superintending Engineer, alongside Secretary-level individuals who were involved in the tender committees.

The government emphasized that this move showcases its commitment to transparency, accountability, and a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption in public service. Additionally, the Chief Minister has sanctioned fresh disciplinary actions under Rule 8 of the All India Services (Classification, Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, against another IAS officer for suspected misconduct.

Meanwhile, review petitions submitted by five officers under Rule 34 of the Rajasthan Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules have been dismissed, upholding previously imposed penalties.

The government has also validated the investigation report against two retired officers under CCA Rule 16, setting the stage for punitive actions.

With these developments, a total of 14 officers are now facing investigation or disciplinary actions related to the case.

In a related matter, former Minister Mahesh Joshi was recently granted bail by the Supreme Court in the Jal Jeevan Mission scam case. Joshi, who had been detained in Jaipur Central Jail, was released after nearly seven months. The Supreme Court had reserved its ruling on his bail request during the proceedings held on November 21.

On December 3, a bench led by Justices Dipankar Datta and A.G. Masih issued the bail order. Joshi was arrested on April 24 in connection with the alleged Rs 900 crore Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam. The Rajasthan High Court had denied his bail plea on August 26, prompting him to appeal to the Supreme Court through a Special Leave Petition (SLP).