Dino Morea Smiles, Looks Relaxed as He Arrives at ED for Questioning in ₹65 Crore Mithi River Desilting Scam Case

Bollywood actor Dino Morea found himself under intense public and legal scrutiny as he arrived at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Mumbai for questioning related to the ₹65 crore Mithi River desilting scam. The actor was spotted outside the ED office on Wednesday morning, dressed casually and appearing calm, even smiling for the cameras, which sparked mixed reactions online.

The ED had earlier summoned Morea in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to irregularities in desilting contracts awarded by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the Mithi River. This desilting project, which spanned from 2017 to 2023, was supposed to prevent flooding during monsoons, but investigations revealed large-scale corruption, inflated contracts, and collusion between contractors and BMC officials.

Dino Morea's name surfaced after financial transactions and business links between him and some of the accused contractors were discovered. One of the main accused, Ketan Kadam, reportedly had dealings with Morea and his brother Santino. The ED is looking into whether these relationships were used to manipulate tenders and launder money. Morea and his brother are associated with an electric cart company, UBO Ridez, which allegedly had business links to firms involved in the scam.

Earlier, the ED had conducted raids at over 15 locations across Mumbai and Kochi, including properties linked to Morea. His financial documents, electronic devices, and communication records were seized as part of the probe. The ED is trying to track money trails and examine whether funds from the desilting scam were routed through these businesses to hide their origins.

The ₹65 crore scam revolves around desilting contracts where contractors submitted forged documents, used shell companies, and created false invoices for machinery rental. Despite being paid for work that was either partially done or never done at all, these firms managed to pocket large sums. The ED suspects that a network of middlemen and insiders helped facilitate these fake transactions. Morea's involvement is being probed on the grounds of financial gains and his association with those directly involved.

During his questioning, ED officials reportedly asked the actor about his financial ties, email correspondences, and property transactions that might be linked to the alleged scam. His calm demeanor, however, drew attention, as it stood in stark contrast to the seriousness of the allegations.

The investigation is still in its early stages, and no formal charges have been filed against Morea yet. However, the ED is expected to continue questioning him and others involved to get a clearer picture. The case has raised serious concerns about the misuse of public funds and the involvement of public figures in corruption scandals.

This high-profile case continues to unfold, with more names and details expected to emerge in the coming weeks. For now, all eyes remain on the actor’s next move and the ED’s findings as they dig deeper into one of Mumbai’s most controversial civic scams in recent years.