CM agrees to CBI probe into louis Berger bribery case

Goa Chief Minister laxmikant Parsekar on Monday agreed to ruling legislators` demand for ensuring a CBI probe into the louis Berger International bribery scandal even as the Crime Branch of Goa Police made the first arrest in connection with the scam involving a Goa Minister. Parsekar, who was urged by ruling MlAs to initiate a CBI probe into the scam on the first day of the Goa legislative Assembly's Monsoon Session, also said that ongoing projects, in which louis Berger had been roped in, would not stop in the light of the scandal. 

"I wish to assure the people of Goa that those who have looted the State treasury, will be brought to book… I accept the requests of my fellow MlAs to start a CBI probe (in the louis Berger bribery scam)," Parsekar said.So far the Government has asked the Goa Police Crime Branch to conduct a preliminary inquiry in the case and the team has already registered a First Information Report into the scam. 

While the settlement announced by the US Justice Department did not identify the politicians and officials who were offered bribes, the documents revealed that $976,630 was paid in bribes during 2009-2010 to a Goa Minister and other officials to secure rights to implement the Japan International Co-Operation Agency (JICA)-funded project.

Meanwhile, Crime Branch officials on Monday arrested Anand Wachasundar, JICA project director, in connection with the scam. Wachasundar had been questioned by the investigators last week. The revelations cast a cloud of doubts over the involvement of former PWD Minister Churchill Alemão as well as former Chief Minister Digamber Kamat.

Both Alemao as well as Kamat have rejected the allegation."It is the responsibility of the State police and State Government to probe what happened here," Parsekar said, justifying his initial demand for a CBI probe and then appointing the local police with the task.Two top officials of louis Berger have already pleaded guilty to offering bribes of $3.9 million to secure contracts in Asian countries such as India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Kuwait.

louis Berger was part of a consortium of conaultants that successfully bid to be consultants for sewerage project in Goa funded by the JICA.louis Berger in an official communication on Friday has maintained that the act of bribery was committed by rogue company officials, which had come to the fore during an internal enquiry conducted by the New Jersey-based consultancy firm.