Contractor Arrested in Mithi River Desilting Scam

A contractor named Shershing Rathod has been apprehended for his involvement in a Rs 65-crore scam concerning the desilting of Mumbai's Mithi River. Rathod allegedly created fake MoUs and bills, collecting Rs 26.92 crore fraudulently. The Economic Offences Wing made the arrest, marking the third in this case.

A 50-year-old contractor has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the Rs 65-crore Mithi river desilting scam, reportedly forging MoUs to pocket Rs 26.92 crore, stated an official on Thursday.

The accused, Shershing Rathod, presented an MoU featuring the signature of a deceased person. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) took Rathod into custody on Wednesday after his connection to the supposed financial discrepancies emerged. Operating from Borivali in the western suburbs, Rathod is to face court hearings later today.

This arrest marks the third in this unfolding scam saga; previously, middlemen Ketan Kadam and Jai Joshi were detained. Investigations revealed Rathod's complex scheme, from bogus documents to falsely acquired contracts through the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

(With inputs from agencies.)