The Goa Police Crime Branch on Monday arrested Satyakam Mohanty, a former vice-president of louis Berger International, its second arrest in the case and the first of a louis Berger official. Mohanty was arrested on charges of bribing politicians and officials in 2010, while he was serving as the head of the international consultancy firm in India to secure a consultancy for the Goa water supply and sewer project.
Mohanty, who resides in Gurgaon, was booked under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act for offering a bribe to Goan politicians and officials to secure implantation rights for a Rs1,031 crore water and sewerage management project in 2010. “He was arrested today under the anti-corruption law,” the official said on Monday. Police have already recorded Mohanty’s statement on bribes he has paid to a politician here under section 164 in presence of a magistrate.
Top officials of louis Berger pleaded guilty to paying bribes to secure contracts in several countries such as India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Kuwait including the 1,000 crore plus sewage and water supply project in the State. Top officials of louis Berger have already pleaded guilty to a New Jersey District Court to offering bribes of $3.9 million to secure contracts in countries . Their sentencing will be held in November.
The US Department of Justice has however not revealed names in its statement released but said that $976,630 was paid in bribes during 2009-2010 to a Goa Minister and other officials.
Clouds of doubt have however been cast over former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and former Minister for public works Churchill Alemao, both of whom have been questioned by the Crime Branch. Mohanty is the second person arrested in connection with the scam. last week, JICA project director Anand Wachasundar was arrested in the bribery case.louis Berger was part of a consortium that eventually won a contract to design a multi-billion dollar water and sewerage project funded by the Japan International Co-operation Agency.