Supreme Court grants bail to Mahesh Chandra Joshi and Mukesh Pathak in Rajasthan's Jal Jeevan Mission case

16 October 2026

A Supreme Court Bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Sheel Nagu granted bail on 16 October 2026 to Mahesh Chandra Joshi and Mukesh Pathak in a corruption case over contracts worth Rs 979.45 crore under Rajasthan's Jal Jeevan Mission.
The prosecution case is that forged documents were used to secure the contracts.
In its October 16 order the Bench said prolonged pre-trial detention cannot be permitted to degenerate into punishment without trial, citing Article 21.
It noted 22 accused, three charge sheets and 124 prosecution witnesses, with charges not yet framed.
The appeals challenged the Rajasthan High Court's August 13 verdict refusing regular bail.