Bribery scam: Hawala operator arrested, Kamat gets relief

Dubai-based <g data-gr-id="45">Raychand</g> Soni was arrested here after his statement was recorded before a judicial magistrate, Superintendent of Police (CB) Kartik Kashyap <g data-gr-id="53">said,</g> but declined to divulge further details.

Another senior police officer, however, alleged that Soni was involved in transferring the money through hawala means within the country.

"During the interrogation we had managed to track the route through which the money was brought in India and then how it was circulated," the officer said. 

Soni was being questioned by <g data-gr-id="40">crime</g> branch for the last few days along with another hawala operator, he added.

In a relief to Kamat, who headed the previous Congress ministry when the pay-off for securing consultancy for a major water project allegedly took place, District Judge B P Deshpande extended the interim protection from arrest till August 12 after the Crime Branch sought more time to respond to his anticipatory bail plea. Former Public Works Minister <g data-gr-id="50">Churchil</g> Alemao was arrested and remanded in the case on Thursday.

The 61-year-old Congress leader had moved the court for anticipatory bail on August 4, fearing arrest after being questioned twice by Crime Branch in connection with?the case. Apart from Alemao, former director of <g data-gr-id="48">JICA-aided</g> project for Goa Anand Wachasunder and Louis Berger's ex-vice president Berger Satyakam Mohanty have been arrested in connection with the case.

The Congress's Goa unit accused the Crime Branch of "acting selectively" and demanded that the case be handed over to CBI and the renegotiation of works under JICA-aided project during BJP's rule should also be probed.

"The inquiry should be handed over to Central Bureau of Investigation. The entire work right from sanctioning of JICA work to its execution in each of the constituencies should be probed," Goa Congress spokesman <g data-gr-id="47">Agnelo</g> Fernandes said.

Fernandes, however, said Congress does not support any of its tainted leaders. “If anyone is found guilty, we won’t be supporting them,” he said.

The Congress spokesperson also sought a probe against ruling BJP in JICA work.

“The inquiry should be conducted how the JICA work was renegotiated during BJP regime and also whether there is any bribery involved in <g data-gr-id="38">execution</g> of the work.” 

On Thursday, the Goa Crime Branch submitted before a local court that former officials of the US firm had allegedly paid Rs 50-60 lakhs each as bribe to Kamat (who was the chief minister between 2007 and 2012) and the then PWD Minister Alemao to win consultancy for a major water project in the state. While opposing Kamat’s anticipatory bail plea, the Crime Branch told the court that the investigating officer has recorded the statement of former officials --Sanjay Jindal and Shiv Ram Prasad--before a judicial magistrate, which allegedly confirmed the involvement of two <g data-gr-id="55">minister</g> in the bribery scandal.