Dino Morea questioned for six hours in Rs 65 crore Mithi river desilting case

The Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Friday questioned Bollywood actor Dino Morea for around six hours in connection with its investigation into alleged financial irregularities worth Rs 65 crore in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Mithi river desilting project.

Morea was allowed to leave after the questioning, an official said, adding that investigators could summon him again depending on the requirements of the probe. The questioning was aimed at establishing the nature of his dealings with one of the key accused and examining suspected financial transactions that have come under scrutiny.

Links under scrutiny

Morea’s name surfaced during the investigation after police examined the call detail records of accused Ketan Kadam. Investigators found multiple communications allegedly involving Kadam, Morea and the actor’s brother, prompting them to examine the nature of their association.

Investigators suspect that the relationship may have extended beyond personal acquaintance and are examining alleged financial transactions between Morea and Kadam. The questioning on Friday was intended to seek explanations about those dealings and determine whether they had any connection with the alleged irregularities under investigation.

Morea has not been named as an accused merely by virtue of being questioned, and his examination by investigators does not establish criminal involvement. The investigation remains underway.

Rs 65 crore case

The EOW investigation concerns alleged irregularities in contracts connected with the cleaning and desilting of the Mithi river, an important drainage channel in Mumbai that assumes particular significance during the monsoon.

The BMC had undertaken a large-scale exercise to remove sludge from the river using specialised machinery, including sludge pushers and dredging equipment. Investigators are examining the procurement and deployment of machinery supplied through Kochi-based Matprop Technical Services Private Limited.

According to investigators, key accused Ketan Kadam and Jay Joshi allegedly colluded with people associated with Matprop and officials of the BMC’s Storm Water Drains department to inflate costs and raise fraudulent bills.

The alleged manipulation is suspected to have caused a loss of around Rs 65 crore to the civic body. The precise roles of individuals and entities involved in the contracts remain under investigation.

Equipment deals probed

A major focus of the case is the manner in which specialised equipment was hired and deployed for the desilting work. Investigators suspect that the machinery was made available through intermediaries at substantially inflated rates, allowing private entities to allegedly make disproportionate gains from civic contracts.

The EOW has been examining tender documents, invoices, payments and financial records to reconstruct the movement of money. Statements of people associated with the contracts are also being recorded as investigators seek to establish whether there was coordination between contractors, middlemen and civic officials.

The investigation has widened beyond the original contractual arrangements as financial trails and communication records have brought additional individuals under scrutiny.

ED also probing case

The Enforcement Directorate is separately investigating the matter under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The federal agency’s probe is focused on whether proceeds were generated from the alleged criminal activity and, if so, how the money was subsequently transferred or used.

Morea has previously figured in the wider investigation as agencies examined his alleged links with people under scrutiny. Friday’s questioning by the EOW was specifically aimed at obtaining clarity on his association with Kadam and the transactions being examined by investigators.

The existence of communications or financial dealings does not by itself establish participation in the alleged scam. Investigators will have to determine the purpose of any transactions and whether they have a demonstrable connection with the alleged manipulation of BMC contracts.

Probe continues

The Mithi river has been the focus of extensive desilting and flood-mitigation work since the catastrophic Mumbai floods of July 2005. The BMC routinely undertakes pre-monsoon cleaning and removal of accumulated silt to improve the river’s carrying capacity and reduce flooding risks.

The present investigation, however, concerns allegations about how certain desilting-related contracts and equipment arrangements were handled rather than the broader need for cleaning the river.

With the EOW continuing to examine financial records, call data and contractual documents, officials have indicated that further questioning of people linked to the transactions is possible. Morea could also be called again if investigators require additional clarification as the financial trail is reconstructed.