MARGAO: Welcoming the FIR registered by the Crime Branch against former PWD Minister and arch rival Churchill Alemao, Fisheries Minister and Navelim legislator Avertano Furtado on Monday asserted that the seed of corruption in the PWD grew into a tree during Churchill’s tenure.
“All that was done was only for his personal gains. I am sure the investigations will get results and the guilty should be punished so that it sets a good example for people’s elected representatives not to misuse power for their personal gains”, Avertano said in his statement.
He demanded that the government order a detailed probe into all other alleged irregularities involving the former PWD Minister. “The former PWD Minister should face the law. I only hope the government order a thorough probe into all allegedly irregularities in the PWD during Churchill’s tenure and bring the guilty to book”, Avertano said.
Meanwhile, another Churchill bête noire, Benaulim legislator Caitu Silva has welcomed the government decision to register an FIR against the former PWD minister. In a statement, Caitu said that the government action against Churchill should have come a year ago and exuded confidence that the investigating agency will now take the probe to the logical conclusion. “The people have been demanding justice since the last one year.”, he said.
Caitu has now hoped that the government would do justice and book Churchill in all other cases relating to the functioning of the PWD. “We will follow up with the government to see that the former PWD minister does not go scot free, but is brought to book in all other cases”, the Benaulim M:A said.
