Mithi River Desilting Scam: 'Firms Linked To Accused Businessman Repeatedly Got Tenders,' Says Mumbai Sessions Court

Mumbai: A sessions court last week refused to grant anticipatory bail to businessman Bhupendra Rajpurohit, noting that he is one of the conspirators who managed to bag desilting tenders since 2018 either through his companies or through the firms of his relatives.

Rajpurohit’s firm M/s Tridev Enterprises received a tender of desilting work for 2023-24. Besides, it was contended that the firms – M/s. M.B. Brothers and M/s. Tanisha Enterprises – are also owned by him, his brother and brother-in-law. Since 2018, either Rajpurohit’s company or that of his relatives got contracts.

The court said, “It prima facie shows that the applicant has well-established relations with the BMC officers.” Regarding the argument that he has different companies and hence there was a chance of tenders going to either of them, the court said, “The argument is attractive, but it is suspicious that every year only the company of the applicant or his relatives got the tender.”

The court accepted the prosecution contention that Rajpurohit had submitted forged MOU, which were shown as related to the land owners whose land was to be used for dumping the silt. The prosecution had recorded statements of owners, who denied having entered into any MoU.

Further, Rajpurohit is accused of having used old photographs of trucks carrying silt. The court pointed out the mismatch between the entries, logsheet data and CCTV footage. “This is sufficient to prima facie show that the applicant has committed forgery,” the court said.

It also observed that Rs 50.5 lakh was sent to M/s Groupo Solutions, which was formed by Rajpurohit's kin and friend of BMC officer Prashant Ramugude and an acquaintance of co-accused Ketan Kadam. This prima facie shows connection of the applicant with intermediary Kadam, said the court.