NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday summoned Bollywood actor Dino Morea for questioning next week in connection with an alleged Rs 65 crore Mithi river desilting scam, following raids at 15 locations, including the actor’s Mumbai residence, on Friday.The case involves accusations of inflated bills, fake work logs, and systematic diversion of public funds meant for flood prevention and drainage maintenance in Mumbai.The raids were conducted across Mumbai and Kochi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act at locations linked to contractors and officials suspected of embezzlement in the Mithi River desilting operations.The actor’s summons comes days after he and his brother were questioned by Mumbai Police in a related corruption case.The ED initiated its investigation after taking note of earlier inquiries by the Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Comptroller and Auditor General that had flagged potential financial misconduct in the desilting project.Sources within the agency indicated that financial documents, electronic devices, and transaction records are being seized during the ongoing searches.The ED suspects a network of contractors and middlemen submitted fraudulent work completion reports to misappropriate funds intended for infrastructure development.The Mithi River, which serves as a crucial drainage artery in Mumbai, gained national attention following the devastating floods of 2005. This led the BMC and other civic agencies to implement regular desilting and cleaning operations for flood prevention.Recent audits and investigations have revealed significant discrepancies between the actual desilting work performed and what was reported, raising concerns about widespread corruption.The case has become part of a broader investigation into alleged financial irregularities in Mumbai’s civic infrastructure works, highlighting the need for greater oversight in local body operations.
