Dino Morea questioned by Mumbai police in Rs 65.54-Crore Mithi River scam; actor denies arrest

Actor Dino Morea was questioned by the Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Friday, October 2, in connection with the alleged Rs 65.54-crore Mithi River desilting scam. He reached the EOW office around 1.30 pm and joined the investigation.

According to Indian Express, a senior EOW officer confirmed the questioning and said Morea had been called in to verify certain facts that came up during the probe.

Mid-Day had reported that Morea was arrested after nearly eight hours of questioning at his Bandra residence. However, the actor reportedly denied the claim, and the EOW has not confirmed any arrest.

What the case is about

The probe concerns alleged financial irregularities in contracts for desilting and rejuvenating the Mithi River in Mumbai. As reported by Hindustan Times, the BMC reportedly lost ₹65.54 crore. Investigators are examining what part contractors, intermediaries and civic officials may have played.

Earlier questioning

This is not the first time Morea has faced investigators in the matter. In May 2025, the EOW questioned him and his brother, Santino Morea, after phone records surfaced connecting the two to people tied to the probe. The agency was also looking at financial transactions between Santino's company, UBO Ridez, and individuals linked to the case.

Other accused and agencies

Ketan Kadam, one of the accused, was arrested in 2025 and has been a key focus of the investigation. Police have been scrutinising allegations about how civic contracts were awarded and how payments for the river-cleaning work were made.

The Enforcement Directorate had separately searched Morea's residence as part of its own investigation, along with other locations connected to people under scrutiny.

UBO Ridez Private Limited, a company that runs Victorian-style electric carriages in Mumbai, counted two people with ties to the case among its directors: Santino Rocco Morea, a member of Morea's family, and Punita Kadam, Kadam's wife. The EOW had questioned Santino last year as well.

Kadam and Joshi

Kadam owns Woder India LLP and serves as CEO of Virgo Specialties. He was arrested on May 7 together with Jayesh Joshi, who was linked to Virgo Specialties. Both were among 13 people booked over the alleged Rs 65.54-crore loss to the BMC, according to Indian Express.

How the equipment was allegedly steered

The EOW says some BMC officials went to Kochi in October 2020 to buy desilting equipment from Matprop Technical Services Pvt Ltd. Specifications in later tenders allegedly mirrored Matprop's machines, which in effect forced contractors to use its equipment. When contractors approached Matprop, investigators allege, they were sent to Kadam and Joshi, who allegedly leased out the machines at inflated rates. The agency is also looking into how Woder India LLP won several civic contracts.

The contractor accused of faking silt removal

In August, the EOW arrested Shersingh Rathod, a Borivali-based contractor, on allegations that he submitted fake photographs and videos to make it appear that silt had been cleared from the river. His firm, Maideep Enterprises, was one of five contractors awarded work in 2021-22, and investigators began looking into him while reviewing the contractors that won desilting tenders.

According to an official, trucks that the photos and videos showed carrying silt had actually been transporting building debris.

Rathod later presented agreements he claimed to have signed with landowners in Bhiwandi and Panvel for dumping the silt. Officials said the landowners denied knowing him and told investigators the documents and their signatures were forged. In one instance, an officer said, an agreement supposedly signed in April 2021 bore the name of a landowner who had died three months before.

The EOW alleges that Rathod used these forged documents to submit bills worth Rs 29.63 crore in Maideep Enterprises' name, and that BMC officials cleared them.