The investigation into ‘Goa’s Watergate’, the JICA bribery scam, has by all accounts been swift and early indications were that they were effective. But as week 1 got over and the second arrest, after the project director Wachaundar, was carried out of the former Vice President of Louis Berger, Satyakam Mohanty, Goa is eager to know the “satya” (truth) of which minister in Goa was paid off by the consortium of consultants – including Louis Berger- to bag the consultancy for the Rs 1031 crore Japanese International Cooperative Agency(JICA) project.
While Digambar Kamat has made more trips to Ribandar (where the river Mandovi facing crime branch is located in the sylvan surroundings of the former Goa Institute of Management campus) in the past week than in the past year, the sword of “arrest” hanging over his head seems to be dangling further and further away. While this is only a perception and the reality is indeed that the Crime Branch is moving in for the kill, it does seem surprising that the entire scandal erupted because Louis Berger International said they had bribed a minister in the Goa government, while the two arrested so far have been an official each from the Goa government and Louis Berger.
Already there is scepticism mounting and bets are being placed over the possible arrest of Mr Digambar Kamat and Mr Churchill Alemao. But this is no game. It is imperative for the crime branch to cut through the clutter and respond to the main line of defence of the former Chief Minister that no file came to him. According to document trails available with Herald, it is a fact that decision making was done through a process with committees taking decisions at each stage. But any investigator and any seasoned politician living in India will know that a perfect document trail, may remove prima facie involvement but it is by no means a fool proof defence. This by no means suggests that Digambar Kamat is guilty of accepting a bribe but it is also by no means a conclusion that he is clean, in this case. Which is why it is not the paper trail but the money trail which will lead the Crime Branch to the truth. Goa hopes that the only reason why the final swoop down on Churchill Alemao and Digambar Kamat has not been done is because the money trail is being established through various officials and the early arrests are in that direction.
Meanwhile according to information Team Herald has managed to glean through its consistent investigation of the JICA bribery scam investigation, is that Mr Wachasundar, the main protagonist, situated in the vortex of this scam, has in his depositions spoken of bribes been given to the former Chief Minister and to the former PWD minister. However the amount, apparently given to the former PWD minister was not for clearing the project but to release a crucial file which was holding up the project, which was paid out of the consolidated illegal gratification. Which is why in the record of Loius Berger, only one “minister” was paid off. However, we must be quick to add that this is information emerging from the Crime Branch interrogation room and is not a statement under oath under Section 164 of the CrPC.
In matters like this, the truth always comes out even if it does slowly. But this sordid saga of the JICA scam will play out beyond the walls of the Crime Branch. For the first time the people of Goa have hope that corrupt politicians will be named shamed and exposed. Taking nothing away from their right to fair investigation and the right to protect their fair names from being tarnished, this investigation has to be conclusive. Goa does not believe that the former Chief Minister and the PWD minister were “in the dark” as the state’s biggest water supply and sewerage project was being sanctioned. The Crime Branch therefore has to bring everything to light.
