TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Crime Branch (CB) sleuths are studying 258 files seized during an ongoing investigation into the infamous tender scam involving former Public Works Department (PWD) minister Churchill Alemao and retired Executive Engineer P T Parker. The investigation team has collected the names of 100-odd contractors, whose statements are being recorded as witnesses in the multi-crore scam.
Sources confirmed that Parker had exposed Alemao’s role in the scam as he has alleged in his statement to the CB that he acted at the behest of the former minister. CB, which has been submitting its monthly status report to the Sessions Court, has neither confirmed nor denied this.
The case, registered on December 30, 2013, took cognizance of a report submitted by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) confirming that prima facie the duo cheated the State exchequer of approximately Rs 300 crore.
Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch) Kartik Kashyap said that the next status report on the case investigation to Sessions Court will be submitted on January 24.
“Our team has been on the job since the case was transferred to CB. As of now, we have recorded statements of 200 plus witnesses, while 100 odd contractors whose names cropped up through the files, will be issued summons to appear before us for questioning,” the officer told Herald.
Laden with several high profile cases, including that of Serula Comunidade, CB is likely to file a chargesheet in the PWD case latest by April. “Investigations are continuing, even though our team members are probing other cases registered with us. We hope to chargesheet the case in three-to-four months,” Kashyap said. He added that Parker’s statement has already been recorded as co-accused in the case.
Asked about Alemao’s role, Kashyap said the former minister’s statement will be recorded at the fag-end of the investigation “but soon”.
ACB’s inquiry was based on a complaint filed by former National Students Union of India (NSUI) president Sunil Kawthankar (presently Congress secretary) alleging that the former PWD minister and his men had cheated the government of the whopping amount by illegally awarding 258 tenders in Division XXV (roads), each of which cost Rs five lakh or more.
The FIR came after former Principal Sessions Judge and presently High Court of Bombay Judge Anuja Prabhudesai, in an order dated September 19, 2013, directed the CB to register an offence. The complainant had also accused Parker of violating crucial guidelines in signing the work orders and the then Chief Vigilance Officer Sanjay Srivastava – also ex-Chief Secretary – of shielding them. Parker had admitted he had done so with the written approval of Alemao following which the government ordered a vigilance inquiry.
Kawthankar had alleged that the contracts were made in order to grant the works to favoured contractors. Parker had reportedly admitted that he had done so with the written approval of Alemao. A vigilance inquiry was held which had affirmed the allegations.
In another PWD scam, the alleged Rs 1.5 crore water tank scam Alemao is again being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Branch which has established his involvement in the case and the investigations are in the final stages.
