Louis Berger bribery case: Ex-PWD Minister Alemao uncooperative in probe, police tells court

Panaji: Goa Police on Monday told a court in Panaji that former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao, arrested in the Louis Berger bribery case, is not cooperating in the probe and is indirectly threatening the Investigating Officer. “The applicant (Alemao) is not cooperating (in the probe) and indirectly threatening the Investigating Officer,“Special Public Prosecutor G D Kirtani told the District Court while seeking further remand of the former minister. [caption id=“attachment_2380964” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Churchill Alemao. IBNLive[/caption] Kirtani, however, did not elaborate on the alleged “threat” aspect. The accused’s involvement in the case, being probe by Crime Branch, has been established, he said. Alemao’s counsel has rejected the charges. “We need to locate the main file (of PWD Department) which had the noting related to the case,” Kirtani said. The court later extended Alemao’s police custody by three more days. The Crime Branch told the court that investigators need to probe how the money, allegedly paid as bribe to Alemao, was used or spent. Louis Berger, a US-based consultancy firm, has admitted it paid bribes to Indian ministers to win contracts for water and sewerage projects (one each in Goa and Assam) to be implemented with Japanese assistance. Alemao was PWD Minister in Congress-led government in Goa in 2010 when the bribery scandal took place. He was arrested on 5 August. Investigators also told the court that after the arrest of Alemao more witnesses are coming forward to give statements. Senior lawyer and Alemao’s counsel Ashok Mundargi, however, rubbished the charges against his client. “It is nowhere stated (by police) how my client’s arrest will help them in investigation and interrogation of other accused.” He said linking Alemao with the missing PWD file had no basis as the Crime Branch had mentioned the same reason while arguing against the anticipatory bail plea filed by another person (former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat). “If the file is actually missing, then the Crime Branch is yet to search my client’s house or office. No search was carried out all these days and today they are saying the file needs to be traced.” Mundargi said Alemao is fully cooperating with the probe. Also, the charge that he threatened the Investigating Officer is baseless. “Being a seasoned politician, my client knows that the officer (a Police Inspector) is not in-charge (of the investigation). I know in which direction the wind is blowing,” he said, apparently hinting at political angle. The Crime Branch claims to have made out a prima facie case against Alemao but has failed to state how his further custodial interrogation will help them, he added. PTI