ACB Raj Police registers case against ex-minister in Jal Jeevan Mission scam
According to ACB officials, as many as 22 people, including some employees and functionaries of contractor firms are named as accused in the FIR lodged in this connection.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Goa has demanded that the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) should immediately register a First Information Report (FIR) in the CDM Smith bribery case.
"Aam Aadmi Party demands that all chief ministers, PWD ministers, PWD secretaries and PWD engineers holding relevant offices in the 2011 to 2015 period are suspects in the bribery scandal and must be named in the FIR," says a release issued by the party here.
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"It is shocking that different yardsticks are being applied to the CDM Smith bribery scam as against the Louis Berger scam.
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"PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar's claim that an inquiry is ordered is an eyewash and a shabby attempt to give himself a clean chit," the party said.
Dhavalikar had told reporters that he has initiated an inquiry to find out whether any Goa official was involved in the bribery scam.
He has ordered the department to furnish the report within 10 days.
"How can PWD investigate its own functioning. The bribery has already happened. It's in black and white. PWD minister and PWD have no locus-standi to 'inquire," AAP said.
"They have to be investigated. Dhavlikar himself, along with all CMs, PWD Secretaries, NHAI officials and local PWD officials who held office between 2011 and 2015 are prime suspects. All have to be investigated," it added.
The party said it will soon take the CDM Smith bribery case to the Goa Lokayukta.
The road transport and highways ministry governs the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) whose unidentified officials are said to have been paid bribe by the US firm between 2011 and 2015 to secure highway construction supervision and design contracts and the water project contract in Goa.
The Criminal Division of the US Justice Department had recently said that the US company, through its employees and agents, and those of its wholly-owned subsidiary in India (CDM India), paid approximately USD 1.18 million (about Rs 6.70 crore) in bribes to government officials in India, resulting in approximately USD four million in net profit.
Between 2011 and 2015, employees of CDM Smiths division responsible for India operations and CDM India paid bribes to NHAI officials in order to receive contracts from them, the Justice Department said in the letter to CDM Smith.
In addition, the CDM Smiths division responsible for India and CDM India paid USD 25,000 to local officials in Goa in relation to a water project contract, it said.
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