the goan I networkrPANAJIr rThe US Department of Justice has revealed that “its investigations at CDM Smith, through its employees and agents, and those of its wholly owned subsidiary in India (CDM India), paid approximately $1.18 million in bribes to government officials in India in exchange for highway construction supervision and design contracts and a water project contract resulting in approximately $4 million in net profits.” rSignificantly for Goa, the US Department of Justice said that CDM Smith’s division responsible for India and CDM India paid $25,000 to local officials in Goa in relation to a water project contract. rFrom approximately 2011 until approximately 2015, employees of CDM Smith’s division responsible for India operations and CDM India illegally paid bribes to officials in the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in order to receive contracts. rThe bribes generally were 2-4% of the contract price and paid through fraudulent subcontractors, who provided no actual services and understood that payments were meant to solely benefit the officials. All senior management at CDM India (who also rrGoa Police refuse to commentrPANAJI: Goa Police, when asked about the recent revelations made in the US feigned ignorance about the matter, but top officials, when informed pointed out that the line of investigation could be similar to that what was adopted by the Goa Police Crime Branch in the Louis Berger case. A top police official when pressed on the issue refused to comment on the matter citing lack of clarity.
Bribes paid for Goa project: US firm
Exactly two years after the Louis Berger scandal broke in the State, yet another US-based construction consultancy firm has admitted before US Department Justice that it had bribed officials in India including for a water supply project in Goa.
