CBI Registers Case Over ₹800 Crore Dredging Scam Involving Former TCE and JNPT Officials

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a major corruption case against former officials of Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE), the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), and two private dredging firms for alleged irregularities amounting to over ₹800 crore in the Capital Dredging Project undertaken near Mumbai. The case centers around the deepening and widening of the port channel at JNPT—India’s busiest container port—where substantial financial and procedural irregularities have allegedly taken place.

According to CBI sources, the accused officials from JNPT and TCE are suspected of colluding with private contractors to inflate project costs, approve substandard or non-existent work, and bypass established tender and verification protocols. The dredging project, initially intended to increase the port’s depth and capacity to handle larger vessels, was allocated funds of over ₹2,000 crore. The alleged scam involves diversion or misuse of around ₹800 crore through fraudulent invoicing, over-estimation, and manipulation of project metrics.

Two private companies engaged for dredging and consultancy have come under scrutiny for submitting forged documents, overbilling for work done, and receiving unauthorized payments despite failing to meet technical benchmarks. The CBI has reportedly conducted searches at multiple locations, including corporate offices in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and New Delhi, and has seized documents, electronic records, and financial transaction trails as part of the investigation.

The alleged scam has raised serious concerns about transparency and oversight in large-scale public infrastructure projects. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is expected to order an internal review and may re-evaluate other contracts managed by the same entities. Industry observers warn that the case may have implications for public-private partnerships (PPP) in future port development plans, especially given JNPT’s critical role in India’s maritime logistics.

While no arrests have been made yet, CBI officials confirmed that formal charges could follow once forensic audits and detailed examination of financial trails are completed. The agency is also exploring international financial connections and whether foreign bank accounts were used to divert funds.

This case adds to a growing list of high-value infrastructure-related probes undertaken by the CBI in recent years. With India investing heavily in port modernization and maritime corridors under the Sagarmala project, ensuring accountability remains a key challenge for authorities.