PANJIM: In what could spell trouble for two former Congress ministers, the Crime Branch (CB) on Tuesday registered a first information report (FIR) in the controversial ‘Goa Watergate’ scam under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).
The FIR has been filed against one ex-minister and Louis Berger, but does not name the former minister. Officers confirmed that JICA (Japan International Corporation Agency) projects granted to US firm Louis Berger between the years 1998 and 2010 will be investigated. CB will also visit the Louis Berger office in Goa as well as regional offices of the company to collect documents related to the case. The company’s officials will also be called for questioning.
An FIR under sections 403 (misappropriation of property), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC, and Sections 7, 8, 9 and 13 of the PCA was registered taking cognizance of complaint lodged by Home Department.
Sources said former chief ministers – Digambar Kamat and Churchill Alemao – will be summoned for questioning although they have not been named in the FIR. Kamat was the chief minister during the period under investigation, Alemao was the PWD minister.
Earlier, Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg had confirmed to Herald that the state government would file a complaint in the bribery scam based on which an FIR would be registered. He too refused to name any accused claiming, “whoever is identified during the course of investigation will be questioned”.
JICA Project Director A M Wachasundar, who was summoned by the CB, appeared before the officials at about 5.07 pm with a file containing documents related to the case.
Speaking to a section of the media outside the CB office, Wachasundar said he deposed based on summons issued by CB office, Ribandar. He was sent with the complaint copy signed by the under secretary (home) and was seen explaining details of JICA projects to the police. He left the office only after 9.30 pm.
CB had asked the JICA project director to submit all the information on the project as part of the preliminary inquiry, report of which will be forwarded to the state government. On Monday, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had directed CB to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within two days, after Union Minister for Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu had sought a detailed report on the bribery charges from the government.
The bribery case came to light after Louis Berger in a statement in a New Jersey Court admitted paying bribes to a minister to gain the water contract in Goa under JICA.
