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Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has filed an FIR against 13 individuals-including five contractors, three middlemen, and five current or former BMC officials-in a desilting scam involving fake documents and inflated bills worth INR 66.5 crore. The accused allegedly submitted forged MoUs and agreements to falsely claim silt dumping at sites that were either unsuitable or non-existent, some even signed by deceased individuals. The scam, spanning February 2021 to December 2023, resulted in civic funds being misused. The case underscores serious lapses in municipal oversight, prompting calls for stricter audits and real-time verification in public infrastructure contracts. Further arrests are expected.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police has initiated legal action against 13 individuals in connection with a multi-crore desilting scam linked to the Mithi River. The accused, which include five contractors, three middlemen, and five current or former officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), allegedly orchestrated a scam involving the submission of fake documents to siphon off INR 66.5 crore from civic funds. Advertisement
According to the FIR filed, the accused created and submitted forged memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and fake agreements to falsely claim silt dumping at various locations, thereby inflating bills for desilting operations. One MoU was traced to a landowner who had died in 1986, while another referenced a development firm that only came into existence in 2020.
The EOW found that farmland in areas like Uran, Vasai, Tane, Mahape, and Panvel was falsely presented as dumping grounds for river silt. In reality, the claimed locations were either not suitable or did not exist in the form declared. The BMC had awarded contracts based on these fraudulent submissions, resulting in massive financial loss.
The FIR lists the scam period between February 2021 and December 2023. According to officials, some of the MoUs even bore signatures of deceased individuals, further highlighting the extent of forgery. The inflated bills, initially amounting to INR 8 crore per contractor, were reduced to INR 4 crore after scrutiny.
With public funds being siphoned off through falsified documentation and collusion between contractors and municipal employees, the case has brought attention back to the need for stronger audit mechanisms and real-time verification in infrastructure projects. As the EOW's investigation progresses, more arrests and revelations are likely to follow, highlighting vulnerabilities in municipal procurement and oversight systems.
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