The ghost of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) continues to haunt former IAS Subodh Agarwal. Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) carried out raids at the premises of Agarwal following the prosecution approval given by chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharnam in December 2025 – the month in which Agarwal retired.
Agarwal's wife Rolee Agarwal is serving as Chief Commissioner in Income Tax while his son Shubh Agarwal is a 2015 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer.
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) had also raided house and office of Subodh Agarwal in 2023 in connection with Jal Jeevan Mission scam. Agarwal then was serving as Additional Chief Secretary PHED – the department which sanctions the JJM work. The ED had then seized cash and property documents from property dealers close to Subodh Agarwal.
ED had arrested the then PHED minsiter Mahesh Joshi in this alleged Rs 990-crore scam. Joshi is now out on bail.
The ACB team also conducted in premises of 15 more accused in several states including Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Delhi.
What is Jal Jeevan Mission Scam?
The JJM scam is linked to the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission Scheme' of the Centre, which provides taps to every house. In the year 2021, Padamchand Jain and Mahesh Mittal, contractors of Shri Shyam Tubewell Company and M/s Shri Ganpati Tubewell Company, had obtained 4 tenders worth crores of rupees from the water supply department (PHED) by showing fake experience certificates.
Shri Ganpati Tubewell Company had participated in 68 tenders of PHED with fake work certificates. Out of them, 359.2 crore tenders were won in the form of L-1 in 31 tenders.
At the same time, Shri Shyam Tubewell Company participated in 169 tenders and won tenders worth Rs 120.25 crore by participating in 73 tenders as L-1. After the scam came to light, the ACB started an investigation. Many corrupt officials were arrested.
The ED then registered a case and raided the premises of Mahesh Joshi and his associate Sanjay Badaya and others. The CBI then registered a case on May 3, 2024. The ED had completed its investigation and submitted the evidence and documents to the ACB on May 4.
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