Mithi fraud: 'No proof that Jay Joshi forced contractors to hire machines'

Joshi told court his company's CEO and co-accused Ketan Kadam dealt with the contractors

- Revu Suresh

MUMBAI: There is no material to show that Jay Joshi, an alleged intermediary arrested in connection with the Mithi river desilting fraud, compelled contractors to hire machines at inflated rates and caused wrongful losses to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the sessions court said while granting him bail last week.

According to the contractors' statements, it was the other arrested intermediary, Ketan Kadam, who dealt with them regarding hiring the machines, the court noted.

"Hence, prima facie, there is no material showing the role of the applicant (Joshi) in the conspiracy," the court said, according to the detailed bail order published on Wednesday.

Joshi, the director of industrial product manufacturer Virgo Specialties Pvt Ltd, and Kadam, the director of desilting services company Woder India LLP, were arrested last month.