A senior EOW officer has said that Dino Morea was questioned as certain facts in the Mithi River desilting scam needed verification (Photo: PR Handout)
Bollywood actor Dino Morea was questioned by the Mumbai Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Friday in connection with the alleged Rs 65.54-crore Mithi River desilting scam. Morea reached the EOW office around 1.30 pm and joined the investigation.
A senior EOW officer confirmed the questioning, saying Morea was called in to verify certain facts that emerged during the probe. The EOW has so far arrested three people in the case.
The case relates to alleged financial irregularities, inflated equipment rental rates and other corrupt practices in contracts awarded for desilting the Mithi River.
Morea had earlier been questioned twice in May last year after investigators found transactions between him and Ketan Kadam, one of the accused, between 2019 and 2022.
Morea’s family member Santino Rocco Morea and Kadam’s wife, Punita Kadam, were directors in UBO Ridez Private Limited, which operates Victorian-era-style electric carriages in Mumbai. Santino was also questioned by the EOW last year.
Kadam, owner of Woder India LLP and CEO of Virgo Specialties, was arrested on May 7 along with Jayesh Joshi, who was associated with Virgo Specialties. They were among 13 people booked for allegedly causing a Rs 65.54-crore loss to the BMC.
In August, the EOW arrested Borivali-based contractor Shersingh Rathod for allegedly submitting fake photographs and videos to show that silt had been removed from the river. Investigators allege that his firm, Maideep Enterprises, submitted bills worth Rs 29.63 crore, which were cleared by BMC officials.
Story continues below this ad
According to the EOW, some BMC officials travelled to Kochi in October 2020 to procure desilting equipment from Matprop Technical Services Pvt Ltd. The specifications in subsequent tenders allegedly matched Matprop’s machines, effectively requiring contractors to use its equipment.
Investigators allege contractors approaching Matprop were directed to Kadam and Joshi, who allegedly rented out the equipment at inflated rates. The EOW is also probing how Woder India LLP secured various civic contracts.
The probe into Rathod began when investigators examined contractors awarded work under the desilting tenders. His firm was among five contractors awarded work in 2021-22.
Investigators allegedly found that trucks shown in photographs and videos as transporting silt had instead carried building debris, an official said.
Story continues below this ad
Rathod later produced agreements purportedly signed with landowners in Bhiwandi and Panvel for dumping the silt. The landowners denied knowing Rathod and told investigators that the documents and their signatures had been forged, officials said.
In one case, an agreement purportedly signed in April 2021 was in the name of a landowner who had died three months earlier, an officer said.
The EOW alleges Rathod used forged documents and submitted Rs 29.63 crore in bills in the name of Maideep Enterprises, which were cleared by BMC officials.
Manish Kumar Pathak is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates substantial Expertise and Authority across the complex field of crime reporting, with a strong focus on law enforcement actions, fraud, and cyber security challenges facing the metropolitan region.
Expertise & Authority
Affiliation: Reports for the nationally recognized daily, The Indian Express, providing his content with high Trustworthiness.
Geographical Focus: Provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of breaking news and investigative matters across Mumbai and the surrounding regions (e.g., Thane, Vasai).
Core Authority: His reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial beats, including:
Cyber & Financial Crime: Extensive coverage of sophisticated scams, including cases involving high-value cyber fraud, stock market manipulation scams, and fraudsters using government figures to gain trust.
Law Enforcement & Investigation: Reports directly on major police actions, including arrests made by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in fraud cases (e.g., MHADA flat scams) and detailed coverage of murder and kidnapping investigations.
Major Incidents & Public Safety: Covers significant incidents like building collapses, road accidents, and public safety issues such as theft at large public events.
Defence & Maritime: Also covers key updates regarding the Indian Navy, including the commissioning of new vessels and strategic defense announcements.
Manish Kumar Pathak's consistent focus on crime, fraud, and the workings of the Mumbai police system establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for critical news in Western India. ... Read More
