PANJIM: A search at the Project director of the JICA-funded water supply project A M Wachasundar left the Crime Branch stunned. It reeked of wealth and given the circumstances, which have surrounded his arrest it surely appears to be ill-gotten. Or as they say officially “not commensurate with known sources of income”.
The team found huge amount of Japanese Yen (the JICA project is Japanese funded) and US Dollars from his two-storey bungalow at PDA Colony. He owns three plots in Porvorim on which he has built this lavish bungalow, which also houses a ‘Trust’. “The accused (Wachasundar) claims the Trust donates during crisis and to needy people as well. It also receives donations from various agencies,” an official said adding that transactions and related-documents are being scrutinized.
Interestingly, Wachasundar had begun the process to purchase 1.30 lakh sq mtrs of property at Dharbandora that costs a whopping Rs 5 crore. A senior IPS officer told Herald that Wachasundar had also paid first instalment of Rs one crore to the property dealer.
His assets also include a posh Jaguar car and Swarnad Constructions in the name of his son Sameer Wachasunder. “All his properties are being evaluated. We are certain it is much more than his actual source of income,” the officer added.
Police higher ups – Director General of Police T N Mohan and Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg – who are closely monitoring the investigation have instructed the investigation team to maintain distance from the media considering the sensitivity of the case. Mohan is quoted as saying the case does have international ramifications even as his team has been doing a ‘commendable job’.
The CB team has quizzed nearly 15 witnesses including the two whistleblowers – ex-Louis Berger officials, who have confirmed under Section 164 of CrPC that money exchanged hands between the firm and the two ex-ministers – Churchill Alemao and Digambar Kamat in the presence of Wachasundar.
Crime Branch sources have stated that according to information received so far, the bribe money was handed over at four different places of which one is an official residence, one a departmental guest house and two are private residences.
