Panaji: Even as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Goa is keen on probing the money laundering angle in the Louis Berger bribery case, the probe into the multi-core scam reveals that bribe was paid to ex-PWD minister Churchill Alemao and former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat as there was a considerable delay in the projects and sanctions.
US-based company Louis Berger has admitted to paying bribe to Goa ministers to win consultancy for water augmentation and sewerage pipeline project under Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The bidding process began in 2009 where four firms had made the bids but Louis Berger was invited by the government. It was said that they were the first to bid and fulfilled the quality standards.
Key witnesses in the case have told the investigators that there was a deliberate attempt to delay awarding the contract. Feelers were being sent to the company that the contract will not be awarded if bribes aren't given.
The remand copy accessed by CNN-IBN reads, "Kamat and Churchill quarrelled over delay at CM's residence in front of the bureaucrats. Churchill wanted the contact to go to a German company."
Louis Berger employees James McClung and Sanjay Jindal met Churchill Alemao and Digambar Kamat and allegedly made a commitment of Rs 4 crore as brobe. Subsequently the contract was awarded to Louis Berger.
The bribe amount was allegedly transferred from the company's New Jersey bank account to its Delhi account and then paid to the accused through a Goa based hawala operator.
The hawala operator in Goa had told the investigators that money was meant for the two ministers. CNN-IBN had earlier reported that money was given to the two ministers on four different occasions. While Kamat was given over Rs 1crore, Alemao was given around Rs 75 lakhs. The four transactions took place over a period of one year.
The file pertaining to the project with details of the tendering process and other financial transactions have gone missing. Investigators believe that this a crucial piece of evidence.
While Digambar Kamat maintains that he has no idea about the missing file, few pages of this file was circulated by Kamat to the local media to prove his innocence.
Meanwhile, Churchill Alemao was sent to four days police custody on Thursday. Alemao has been arrested under various sections of prevention of corruption act and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code. Along with former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat, Alemao has been questioned by Crime branch in connection with the Louis Berger bribery case in past.
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