PANJIM: Goa police made its first arrest in the Louis Berger bribery scam on Monday. JICA project director A Wachasundar was arrested by Crime Branch (CB) that is investigating the bribery case in which two former ministers are allegedly involved.
Wachasundar has been booked under Section 120 B of IPC and Sections 8, 9, 10 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, SP (Crime Branch) Karthik Kashyap said.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had asked CB to submit its inquiry report to the government based on which the CM would take call whether to hand over the case to CBI. Deputy Inspector General of Police V Renganathan said the report is yet to be submitted to the government.
The bribery case was also debated in the Assembly with demands that it be handed over to CBI. The CM agreed to this.
Wachasundar was suspended on Saturday following the initial report from CB. Till Monday, CB had interrogated two officials of the Goa JICA office and seized crucial files from the office.
US-based consultancy firm Louis Berger has been fined by a New Jersey court for bribing Indian officials and a minister to win consultancy projects in Goa and Guwahati under a Japanese funding initiative
