Never met Louis Berger company officials: Kamat

Maintaining his innocence in the pay-off scam involving a US consultancy firm, former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Wednesday said he had never met the company’s officials or accepted money for clearing a project when he was heading the ministry.

Congress leader Kamat, who has been summoned by the Crime Branch in connection with Louis Berger bribery case, said he had been maintaining this positions ever since the scam surfaced and that he still sticks to it. “I have been saying this from the first day. And I maintain the statement. I have never met Louis Berger company officials,” he said.

Kamat added: “I have not taken any money. The file never came to me.” The Crime Branch had summoned Kamat to appear before it on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has said those involved in the Louis Berger bribery scandal would not be spared. “Those who are involved in corruption at the cost of state would not be pardoned. It is our duty to help police in <g data-gr-id="28">investigation</g> and we should encourage it,” he said.

“The case is aptly handled by police. This is because they are given a free hand by <g data-gr-id="26">government</g>,” he told the Assembly.

The US company allegedly bribed the ministers to win consultancy for water augmentation and sewerage line project executed under JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) funding.