Subhechcha Ganguly 
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at 15 locations, including the Mumbai residence of Bollywood actor Dino Morea, in connection with the Mithi River desilting scam. The searches, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), also targeted properties in Kochi and premises linked to Morea’s brother, contractors, and alleged middlemen.
The investigation stems from a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW), which had earlier questioned Dino Morea regarding the case. The FIR names 13 individuals, including civic officials and contractors, accused of orchestrating a scam that allegedly caused a ₹65 crore loss to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Between 2021 and 2023, the accused allegedly manipulated tender processes for renting dredging equipment and conspired to falsify desilting, transportation, and dumping operations of sludge from the Mithi River — a crucial waterway that drains into the Arabian Sea and plays a key role in flood prevention.
In addition to the ED probe, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is reviewing a wider ₹1,100 crore expenditure on the Mithi River desilting project from 2005 to 2021, aiming to uncover broader patterns of financial mismanagement and corruption.
The case marks a significant development in efforts to hold accountable those allegedly responsible for undermining one of Mumbai’s most critical civic infrastructure projects.
