22 thousand people in Bengaluru are in Home Quarantine: Karnataka minister confirms
Bengaluru; There are 22,000 people in Home Quarantine in the state capital city. Around 3,500 people are in the first contact with them. They will be marked with a seal and put in home quarantine, said Revenue Minister R. Ashok.
He was speaking to mediapersons after convening a meeting at the BBM office regarding taking up necessary measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.
"73 ambulances are reserved for those infected with the coronavirus. Food is being provided for the needy and the poor. It will be served in cooperation with NGO members," he added.
He further said, "There is no restriction for buying groceries. But, there will be a time frame fixed to buy milk and vegetables. However, no final decision has been taken in this regard yet."
Discussion with the mosque heads has been held and they have cooperated with the government. They have promised to create awareness about coronavirus. 21 days should be spent with sacrifice," Minister R. Ashok added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Former Rajasthan minister Mahesh Joshi arrested in Rs 960 crore JJM scam
Jaipur (PTI): Rajasthan's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday arrested former minister Mahesh Joshi from his Jaipur residence in connection with the alleged Rs 960-crore Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam, officials said.
The arrest was made a month after retired IAS officer Subodh Agarwal was apprehended.
Joshi, who was the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) minister during the former Congress government, was produced before a court where he was remanded to police custody till May 11.
Joshi was earlier arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in April 2025 in a money laundering case linked to the alleged scam. He remained in jail for around seven months before being granted bail by the Supreme Court in December.
ACB's Special Investigation Team (SIT) reached Joshi's residence in San Colony near Jaipur Railway Station early around 5 am and detained him in connection with the probe into the JJM scan, an ACB spokesperson said.
He was later brought to the ACB office and was placed under arrest.
While being taken to the courtroom, Joshi told reporters that the ACB did not serve him any notice and reached his residence early in the morning.
Joshi said that he was innocent and termed the ACB's action against him "cruel".
"Nothing can be more cruel than this. I am innocent. Today is my wedding anniversary, and this is how the government pays tribute to my (deceased) wife," Joshi said.
Joshi's wife, Kaushal, had passed away last year, four days after he was arrested by the ED.
"Truth may be challenged, but never be defeated," Joshi said.
He, however, declined to comment on the case in detail, adding, "All I can say is that I am innocent."
According to the ACB, Joshi is accused of misusing his position as the then PHED minister and accepting bribes in exchange for tenders.
The ACB registered an FIR against the former minister and others in late 2024.
ACB Director General Govind Gupta said the investigation by the SIT revealed that two firms secured tenders worth around Rs 960 crore by submitting forged completion certificates, purportedly issued by the IRCON International Ltd.
According to the ACB, Joshi, along with former additional chief secretary of PHED Subodh Agarwal, engineers, contractors and private individuals, conspired to facilitate the award of tenders through fraudulent means and caused huge financial loss to the state exchequer.
Apart from Joshi, as many as 11 accused, including retired IAS officer Subodh Agarwal, serving and retired PHED engineers, have already been arrested in the case.
Three other accused, former superintending engineer Mukesh Goyal, former executive engineer Jitendra Sharma and one Sanjeev Gupta, are absconding.
Permanent arrest warrants have already been issued against them, and proceedings are underway to declare them proclaimed offenders, officials said.
The ACB said five other accused have received protection from arrest from the Rajasthan High Court.
