India, Oct. 1 -- The sessions court has refused anticipatory bail to retired Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) executive engineer Ganesh Chandrakant Bendre, who has been accused of playing a key role in the alleged Rs.65-crore Mithi River desilting scam.

In his plea, Bendre, who retired from the Storm Water Management (SWM) department of BMC, argued that he had no authority to make decisions, was not a beneficiary of any funds, and had cooperated fully with investigators. His counsel stressed that "no incriminating material" was seized from his home during searches and that custodial interrogation was unnecessary.

Additional Sessions Judge NG Shukla, however, found sufficient prima facie material indicating Bendre's complicity in...