Former Goa CM granted interim bail: Louis Berger case

Former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who is also accused of accepting bribes from Louis Berger officials to implement a Rs 1,031-crore project, was provided interim bail until August 7 by a local court.

Panaji: Goa’s Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza on Thursday said the arrest of former public works department minister Churchill Alemao was a case of good policing and denied any political interference.

The Crime Branch had earlier arrested Anand Wachasunder, former director of JICA-aided project for Goa and Louis Berger’s ex-vice president Berger Satyakam Mohanty in connection with the case. “At present, I don’t think there will be much more arrests”.

“Any arrest depends on how much evidence we are able to gather against anybody”, said Mohan. “We might need custodial interrogation of Kamat too”, a senior Crime Branch official said on condition of anonymity. Ruling out any immediate arrest in connection with the case wherein Kamat and Alemao were separately questionned by Crime Branch, the DGP said, “Not presently”.

Alemao said he was innocent and arrested as part of a “political game”.

The officials of the US-based company had confessed to paying bribe to Indian minister for winning consultancy of Water Augmentation and Sewerage pipeline project under Japan worldwide Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Kamat has claimed that he is being targeted by the ruling BJP-led coalition government.

Goa probe started after 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 such as India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Kuwait.

He said Alemao had anticipated the arrest and was ready for it anytime.