PANJIM: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators’ wing has resolved to hand over the Louis Berger case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a thorough investigation in the matter as the US-based company’s bribery issue is not limited to Goa it being a consultant in other States.
Speaking to the media after the BJP legislators’ meeting on Friday at the Assembly complex, State unit president Vinay Tendulkar said, “All the legislators have unanimously resolved to hand over investigation in the three consultancy cases to CBI.”
However, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said he has asked for a report from Crime Branch within three days as it is investigating the case. “I will take a decision on whether to hand over the case to CBI after Crime Branch gives the report to me,” Parsekar said.
Parsekar’s comment is contradictory to the demand made by the 21 MLAs present at the meeting and was not opposed by any MLA.
Meanwhile, Margao BJP Mandal led by former Fatorda MLA Damodar Naik submitted a memorandum to the chief minister demanding a CBI probe and calling for expediting the Crime Branch investigation.
Addressing the media in Panjim, Naik demanded that JICA project director A Wachasundar be sacked.
“During the Congress regime, then chief minister Digambar Kamat and former PWD minister Churchill Alemao had carried out rampant corruption and now it is proved also by the US court,” Naik said.
Naik demanded that both the politicians be summoned for investigations and that criminal cases be filed against them. Naik also condemned the snail’s pace of the investigation by SIT in the mining scam.
Parsekar on Monday had directed Crime Branch to carry out a preliminary probe into the bribery scandal and to submit a report in two days. Till Friday evening, the report has not been submitted.
Louis Berger has admitted to bribing Indian officials with several crores of rupees to secure JICA water developmental projects in Goa. The alleged bribery of USD 9,76,630 for the Goa project included a bribe to a minister, the details of which have not been disclosed by the US Department of Justice.
Former Congress minister Churchill Alemao has denied involvement in the bribery scandal, while Congress on Thursday demanded filing of an FIR against those linked to the case.
Alemao, who was PWD Minister in 2009, when the alleged bribery took place, claimed he had not even heard of the company.
