Now, Cong seeks probe on BJP’s Mopa dealings

PANJIM: Hitting back at Union defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s allegation about involvement of two former Congress ministers in the Louis Berger bribery case, the Congress on Monday demanded an investigation into the dealings that the BJP-led government has had with the same consultancy firm.

Addressing the media, Congress legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco alleged a major scam in the Mopa consultancy proposal that has been granted to Louis Berger which has already been paid Rs 14 crore by the BJP government.

“If the company had bribed two former Congress ministers for a contract in 2010, then let the CBI find out whether it had to bribe someone in the BJP government to bag the Mopa contract in 2013,” the Congress Legislative party (CLP) spokesperson said.

“I remember Parrikar during his tenure as chief minister, had defended Louis Berger while granting it the Mopa project consultancy,” he added. 

Lourenco pointed out that despite the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) submitting its report on the feasibility of Mopa airport, the government appointed a new consultancy firm for the same project. “This clearly indicates that there is a major scam and it needs to be probed,” he said.

“We have a chief minister to take decisions on Goa. Parrikar has no right to interfere in state matters,” the Congress leader said, seeking an explanation from the defence minister on the recent media report regarding the arrest of a Naval officer while expecting a bribe.

Congress spokesperson Durgadas Kamat, welcoming the government’s decision of handing the bribery case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) demanded that Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar seek a probe in the all consultancy projects granted to Louis Berger.

Kamat also urged CBI to interrogate Parrikar following his statement that two former Congress ministers were involved in taking a bribe and that the deal was struck in a bungalow in South Goa. 

“He (Parrikar) has some crucial information in the entire case and hence his statement attains importance,” he added.

Another Congress spokesperson Sunil Kawthankar said that since the US Department of Justice had already investigated the case, it was only a matter of relying on this investigation report. 

“Whoever is involved needs to be taken to task. This issue has not only shamed Goa in front of the country but on the international scene. The government of India should approach the US Department of Justice and file cases against all those involved,” said Kawthankar. 

He added that the BJP’s move to call for an inquiry was another excuse to hush the case and allow the ministers to go free. “There has already been an inquiry conducted and there is no need for another one. The charge sheet should directly be filed,” he said.

Kawthnakar also questioned former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s stand in the issue asking why a company like Louis Berger was given projects including the Mopa consultancy when they had inflated the tender by 20 percent.