In recent development in Louis Berger Case the former PWD minister and south Goa heavyweight politician Churchill Alemao has been arrested by Goa Police. According to the available sources Churchill has been picked up from his residence in Varca village at around 10.30pm yesterday and was officially placed under arrest. Superintendent of police, Crime Branch, Kartick Kashyap, has confirmed the arrest but refused to furnish any further details. Crime branch officials claimed that Alemao’s role in accepting the bribe is established, which is why he has been arrested for further investigation. He would be taken for a medical check-up during wee hours today, they said.
Earlier Wachasunder was put under arrest by the Goa police for taking the bribe in Louis Berger case in the capacity of director of JICA project while Digamber Kamat was the Chief Minister of Goa and also holding the finance portfolio when this bribery took place. Here is the case where Wachasunder is already under arrest and he withdrew his bail application from the court when it came for the hearing and Digamber Kamat is being probed by the Crime Branch in this case applied for the anticipatory bail in advance under the fear to avoid the anticipated arrest.
According to the news published in the national daily “In an unexpected move on Tuesday, former project director of JICA Goa, A M Wachasundar, who is arrested in the alleged 6 crore bribe paid by Louis Berger International Inc to state politicians, withdrew his bail application filed before a special court. This shocking and perhaps first time in the history of highly placed man who do not want to apply for the bail while been in police custody for more that eight days raised the eyebrows of everyone throwing the debate open on whether he will turned to be approver or whether he is prepared to record his statement in front of the magistrate revealing the names of the politicians who been involved into this case. Incidentally the withdrawal of the bail application had done just a day before his remand in police custody.
According to the sources in the police the help of Wachasunder is no more required in this case they have gathered enough of evidences against the suspects to substantiate the case. Meanwhile the former CM Digamber Kamat had applied for the anticipatory bail to avoid the anticipated arrest in the similar case where he is been probed by the Crime Branch and according to them there is enough of evidences of huge amount of money paid to the former chief minister Digamber Kamat and PWD minister Churchill Alemao.
In his bail application Kamat has mentioned that there is no money is taken by him and he has nothing to do with this case as no file on tendering had come to him. The department of justice, USA, had revealed that bribes had been paid to a minister in Goa in 2010 by Louis Berger International Inc for bagging the consultancy, crime branch of the Goa police which is investigating the matter, point fingers at two ministers. This is based on the statement made before a judicial magistrate first class under section 164 of CrPC by two former employees of Louis Berger International Inc. The two have said that bribes were paid in four installments to then PWD minister Churchill Alemao and then CM Kamat, a charge denied by both the politicians.
Now the process of the arrest has already began and there will be more arrest will take place in Goa. Kamat may have the relief till tomorrow once his bail application heard by the judge the results will come out. Is this government seriously working against the corruption and corrupt? Or working against the rivals? There are no cases of misappropriation in the present government? Please do leave your comments and suggestions on this issue.
Source: Various Sources
Edited by: Goa Prism News Desk
