MEIL Gets Mega Shock in Supreme Court
• L&T Wins, MMRDA Faces Transparency Test
• TV9 Faces Ban Heat Amid MEIL Row
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
The Supreme Court quashed ₹14,000 crore worth MMRDA tenders linked to BJP-backed MEIL, citing opacity and bias. L&T’s exclusion triggered the legal battle. MEIL, also owner of TV9 news network, faces growing calls for a media ban amid allegations of biased coverage and corporate-political nexus. Sprouts News SIT investigates further.
SC Verdict Shakes Maharashtra: ₹14,000 Cr MMRDA Tenders Cancelled
The Supreme Court’s firm intervention has forced the Maharashtra Government to retract two controversial infrastructure tenders worth ₹14,000 crore. These included the ₹6,000 crore elevated corridor and the ₹8,000 crore Thane-Ghodbunder to Bhayandar tunnel projects. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), under the control of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, was compelled to cancel both tenders following severe judicial criticism.
The BJP-backed Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd. (MEIL), which allegedly donated ₹600 crore during election season, was at the centre of this controversy. The Supreme Court’s notice prompted MMRDA to pause and eventually scrap the tenders—marking a major embarrassment for the Mahayuti government.
Transparency Lacking in MMRDA Tender Process
The MMRDA had issued tenders on 27 July 2024. However, L&T challenged the short submission timeline and moved the Bombay High Court. Although the deadline was later extended by 60 days, the agency failed to assure transparency. L&T submitted technical bids on 13 December 2024, which were opened on 1 January 2025, but the MMRDA remained silent on bid evaluation.
On 13 May 2025, MMRDA opened financial bids selectively, excluding L&T without explanation. L&T then approached the court, arguing the agency violated natural justice and procedural fairness. Despite the High Court initially refusing to stay the tender, L&T escalated the matter to the Supreme Court.
Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT) had earlier reported discrepancies in the MMRDA’s process, raising red flags on MEIL’s involvement and opaque dealings.
Supreme Court Flags Procedural Irregularities and Favors L&T
L&T’s counsel, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, argued that MEIL lacked credibility and the process lacked transparency. He was supported by senior lawyers Kapil Sibal, Ranjit Kumar, and Neeraj Kishan Kaul.
On MMRDA’s behalf, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi admitted the agency had decided to cancel the tenders. The bench—led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai along with Justices Augustine Masih and Atul Chandurkar—noted signs of manipulation in the bidding and criticized MMRDA for arbitrary decision-making.
The apex court acknowledged the corrective steps and disposed of L&T’s petition, but not without a pointed remark that transparency must be the foundation of all public projects. Sprouts News SIT had earlier exposed MEIL’s rising presence in Maharashtra’s infrastructure sector, drawing parallels with the Adani Group.
Bias and Favoritism Alleged in Project Awards
Despite L&T’s lower financial bids—₹2,521 crore less for the tunnel and ₹609 crore less for the elevated corridor—the firm was disqualified without explanation. This raised serious concerns about MMRDA’s impartiality and favoritism toward MEIL, which reportedly enjoys strong BJP backing.
Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT) had published multiple reports showing how MEIL bypassed standard procedures and regulatory norms, indicating a deeper malaise within Maharashtra’s infrastructure tendering system.
New Tenders Expected After Supreme Court Rebuke
Post-verdict, MMRDA confirmed that both tenders stand cancelled and fresh bids will be floated. This move is seen as an attempt to reset the process in alignment with legal and ethical frameworks. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi assured the court that the government will initiate a transparent re-tendering process soon.
Earlier, MMRDA had justified its rejection of L&T’s bids. But after the Supreme Court’s warning, the agency reversed its stance, citing public interest as the basis for scrapping the process.
Also Read: UGC Probes Dr. DY Patil Medical College Over MBBS Fee Hike.
A Wake-Up Call for Public Tender Governance
This episode not only exposes the vulnerabilities in India’s public infrastructure tendering process but also underlines the judiciary’s role in ensuring accountability. The Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT) will continue to monitor developments, especially the re-tendering phase, to ensure that taxpayer money is safeguarded from political and corporate collusion.
The case serves as a crucial precedent—highlighting the need for transparency, competitive fairness, and institutional integrity in billion-rupee infrastructure deals.
MEIL Under Scrutiny: Corporate Power, Media Control & Calls for TV9 Ban
Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited (MEIL), the Hyderabad-based infrastructure giant, has long been a beneficiary of high-value government contracts across India—particularly under BJP-ruled states. Founded by Krishna Reddy, MEIL has expanded aggressively from pipeline projects to roads, tunnels, metro rail, and now into the media sector. In recent years, MEIL’s close ties with political power have raised red flags, prompting watchdog groups, civil society organizations, and even sections of the judiciary to question its growing monopoly.
The Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT) has repeatedly flagged MEIL’s disproportionate rise, highlighting how its projects are often fast-tracked, allegedly bypassing regulatory norms, competitive bidding, and environmental clearances. The most alarming development, however, lies not just in construction—but in communication.
MEIL Owns TV9 Network: Corporate Influence in Media Exposed
MEIL is the largest stakeholder in the TV9 Network, one of India’s most viewed regional and national television news channels. Operating under Associated Broadcasting Company Pvt. Ltd. (ABCPL), TV9 runs a powerful network in multiple languages including Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi, and English.
Krishna Reddy’s MEIL quietly acquired majority control of TV9 in 2018 through Alanda Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., giving the infrastructure conglomerate a direct hand in influencing news narratives. With this acquisition, MEIL not only gained access to policymaking channels through contracts but also media power to influence public discourse, elections, and corporate reputation management.
Media critics argue that TV9 has increasingly turned into a mouthpiece for pro-government narratives, often downplaying controversies linked to MEIL, BJP policies, or infrastructure corruption. The network’s editorial independence has come under fire, with journalists and whistleblowers alleging suppression of dissent and selective reporting.
Demand for Ban on TV9 Gains Momentum Amidst MEIL Controversy
In light of the recent Supreme Court expose on the ₹14,000 crore MMRDA tender scam involving MEIL, there has been growing public outcry demanding a ban on TV9. Civil society groups, opposition leaders, and media watchdogs argue that allowing a politically favored contractor to own a major news network is a threat to democratic media plurality.
Petitions have been filed demanding investigations into editorial manipulation, conflict of interest, and violation of media ownership laws. Several social media campaigns with hashtags like #BanTV9 #BoycottTV9 #FreeMediaFromCronyCapitalism have trended across X (formerly Twitter), calling for regulatory bodies like the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and the Press Council of India to act.
The Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT) has independently verified links between favorable coverage on TV9 and regions where MEIL has secured high-value tenders. Reports indicate that TV9 has avoided reporting on MEIL’s tender controversies, including the now-cancelled Thane-Ghodbunder tunnel and elevated corridor projects. In contrast, competitor channels covered these stories extensively, further supporting accusations of selective journalism.
Need for Media Regulation and Ownership Disclosure
Experts stress the need for urgent reforms in India’s media ownership transparency laws. Current regulations allow cross-holdings that blur the lines between media and corporate lobbying. With entities like MEIL—simultaneously controlling public infrastructure and public opinion—questions around conflict of interest, democratic risk, and freedom of press become central.
MEIL’s ownership of TV9, especially during a time when infrastructure projects worth tens of thousands of crores are under legal scrutiny, exemplifies corporate overreach into the fourth estate. Sprouts News SIT reiterates the need for independent regulatory bodies to audit media influence, funding trails, and editorial manipulation in politically sensitive regions.
A Dangerous Nexus of Concrete and Content
The unfolding MEIL-TV9 nexus is not just a matter of corporate monopoly but a textbook case of media capture in a democratic society. The cancellation of MMRDA tenders is only the beginning. As judicial proceedings and public vigilance intensify, the focus must now shift to dismantling the invisible pipelines of power—where concrete flows into contracts, and newsrooms turn into echo chambers.
