A court in Mumbai has refused to grant bail to Ketan Kadam, an alleged middleman and a company’s CEO, held in the Rs 65-crore Mithi river desilting contract scam in the metropolis, noting he has direct involvement in the crime.

Additional Sessions Judge N G Shukla rejected the bail plea of Kadam, dubbed a “mastermind” of the conspiracy linked to the scam, on October 14 and a detailed order was made available on Thursday (October 16). This was the second time when Kadam was denied bail by the sessions court. The alleged middleman moved a fresh bail plea after police filed a chargesheet in the case.