When you live by the sword, you die with it. Metaphorically, Goa’s ruling MLAs and ministers, many of whom have had a direct interest in road contracts in their constituencies that came under the controversial division 25, dealt directly with PT Parker, who faced an intense probe by the Anti-Corruption Branch.

But Parker did what many could not. He meticulously kept copies of all correspondence and orders with regard to the issuance of any tenders in the PWD, including hand written notes of the minister. He also kept records of all telephone calls made by MLAs ordering him to issue contracts to specific contractors. Therefore for every irregularity along the lines of work orders being issued without tenders, splitting large tenders into smaller parcels of under Rs 5 lakh to avoid calling for two more competing tenders, there was proven political hand behind it.

Therefore, when push came to shove, Parker, instead of being pushed into the ambit of investigation and law, was allowed to retire peacefully and slip out of existence.

Clearly, investigating Parker would open up a can of – not worms – but politicians.

P T Parker’s files of mini bombshells include the following.

Quepem MLA Babu Kavalekar’s letter asking for specific work allotment to his own contractor. In a letter (June 14, 2011, Kavalekar wrote to PWD Minister Churchill Alemao. (Notice No PWD/W/D XXV/ TS/F-2-1/2011-2012/05), “Kindly issue below mentioned work order in the name of below mentioned agency instead of the previous agency Mafaid Fernandes.

The contractor who had to be allotted this work in place of Mafaid Fernandes is also mentioned: Ulhas Naik.

Then there were instances of another South Goa MLA who copied tender notice numbers onto a piece of paper, the serial number of the contractor allotted at the time of he applying and his name and sent it to Parker.

There was absolutely no doubt that each of these was vested interest contracts.