Jaipur’s law enforcement agencies are intensifying their multi-state operation to capture former IAS officer Subodh Agarwal, the prime suspect in the massive Jal Jeevan Mission corruption scandal. Launched on February 17, this high-stakes manhunt entered its 16th day on March 4, with 40 specialized search teams deployed across key locations.
Senior police officials, including Additional Superintendents of Police and Deputy Superintendents, are leading these squads under the close supervision of Deputy Inspectors General and Superintendents of Police. The coordinated effort spans Rajasthan and neighboring states, targeting over 100 sites in 21 cities to ensure no stone is left unturned.
Raids have hit upscale neighborhoods in Jaipur’s C-Scheme, Nirman Nagar, Manyawas, and Bajaj Nagar Extension; Delhi’s Defence Colony and New Moti Bagh; Faridabad’s Sector-39; Sohna in Haryana; and Mumbai’s Malabar Hill and Juhu. Investigators have scoured residences, family properties, farmhouses, flats, hotels, and other hideouts linked to Agarwal and his associates.
Over 50 individuals, including relatives, friends, domestic staff, drivers, and suspected harborers, have been interrogated. Four others accused of aiding the fugitive are in custody for detailed questioning. Digital trails are being pursued aggressively, with CCTV footage from five major cities analyzed to map Agarwal’s movements and networks.
The scandal, first exposed in June 2023 by Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena, involves alleged embezzlement in the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme aimed at rural water supply. Around 20 people, including serving and retired officials and engineers, are implicated. Joint probes by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have led to 10 arrests, including one from Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, following raids in Delhi, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand.
As the search drags on, authorities remain optimistic. The operation underscores Rajasthan’s commitment to rooting out corruption in flagship welfare programs, with Agarwal’s capture seen as a pivotal breakthrough in dismantling the scam network.