Jodhpur High Court building case: 7 arrested, 1 detained after SIT probe into construction defects

Jodhpur, Sep 9 (IANS) Jodhpur Police have arrested seven people and detained an eighth in connection with an investigation into alleged irregularities and serious construction defects in the new Rajasthan High Court building in Jodhpur.

Police Commissioner Anshuman Bhomia outlined the investigation and arrests at a Press conference.

According to police, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) found the roles of the construction company, firms and individuals associated with the fire-safety system, and officials responsible for supervising the project to be suspicious.

Construction of the new High Court building began in 2011 and the structure was handed over in 2019, according to the police.

Various defects were reported after the handover, including the collapse of false ceilings, a fire in Courtroom No. 2, cracks in the central dome and damage to pillars.

Several institutions, including IIT Jodhpur, IIT Bombay and PTMES, subsequently conducted audits and surveys to assess the condition of the building.

Following the findings, police constituted an SIT to conduct a detailed investigation. Samples were collected from the building and sent for forensic examination, while expert opinions were also sought.

Police said the investigation raised questions about the role of companies supplying construction materials, agencies involved in executing the work, and individuals responsible for installing the fire-safety system.

The role of officials of the Rajasthan State Road Development and Construction Corporation (RSRDC), who were responsible for overseeing and supervising the project, also came under scrutiny.

According to the Police Commissioner, the investigation found evidence pointing to alleged criminal breach of trust involving officials.

Police formed 12 special teams and four cyber teams to trace the suspects. Raids were conducted at multiple locations in Rajasthan, including Jodhpur, Jaipur, Kota, Bundi and Ajmer, as well as in Alwar, Delhi-NCR, Gurugram, Noida, Patiala and Kapurthala in Punjab, and Haridwar in Uttarakhand.

Police said Varendra Garg, owner of VCL Group/Varendra Construction Company, the primary construction firm associated with the project, was detained in Haridwar late on Monday night.

According to police, Garg had been changing locations to evade arrest. He was traced with the help of technical surveillance and coordination with police in other states.

Jodhpur Police had announced a reward of ₹50,000 for information leading to his arrest. Police said eight individuals have been located in connection with the case. Seven have been arrested, while the process of arresting the eighth suspect was underway.

Those arrested include Jitendra Sharma, then Assistant Engineer with RSRDC; Naveen Rai, then Project Manager with RSRDC; Rameshwar Dayal and Gopal Lal, who were associated with the installation of the fire-safety system; Deepak Mittal, formerly with RSRDC and currently an Executive Engineer in Jaipur; and Ajay Kishan Mutha, then Assistant Engineer with RSRDC.

Police said the arrested accused have been taken on remand and are being questioned. Investigators said further action could follow if the enquiry establishes the involvement of additional individuals, officials or companies.

–IANS

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