US bribery case: Parrikar, Goa CM seek CBI probe

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar and his successor and Goa chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Sunday sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged bribery case involving a US firm to win a contract for a water development scheme in the state when the Congress government was in power.

The reactions by the two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders came in the wake of a New Jersey-based construction management firm, Louis Berger, being charged with bribing Indian officials with several crores to win two major water developmental projects in Goa and Guwahati.

"Since it is an international matter, the Goa police can't investigate it. That is why the government has decided to write to the Prime Minister and home minister, demanding a CBI inquiry into it. Truth should be revealed to the people," Parsekar said.

Addressing BJP workers in Margao town, Parrikar noted the incident happened when the Digambar Kamat-led government was in power.

"Since the work was related to Jica (Japan International funding project), the then PWD Minister might be involved, but moreover since it is dealing with the financial approval for the project, there is likelihood that one more minister may be involved," Parrikar said, without naming anyone.