PANAJI
The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday questioned former Chief Minister and current Margao legislator Digambar Kamat for around seven hours in connection with the Louis Berger bribery case.
Kamat walked into the ED office a little after 10 am and left the premises only in the evening after 6 pm.
A senior ED official informed that Kamat was quizzed about the noting by him on the JICA file while holding office as the chief minister back then.
"He was questioned about the raid conducted by ED on his house in August 2015 as well as about other aspects of the ongoing inquiry," it was informed.
The ED, Goa and Crime Branch of Goa Police conducted raids at five premises of former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, including his residence and office on Thursday morning.
On August 20, 2015, ED officials had raided the residence and offices of Kamat as well as some of his relatives and associates in connection with the multi-crore kickbacks case.
The chargesheet in the case has named former PWD minister Churchill Alemao, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project director Anand Wachasundar and five others but not Kamat. However, the need for his custodial interrogation was cited in order to strengthen the probe.
The accused allegedly received bribes worth $ 9,76,000 for approving contracts for a JICA-funded water supply and sewerage project in the State.
Kamat had secured anticipatory bail from the Special Court for Prevention of Corruption following the arrest of former PWD minister Alemao.
The Crime Branch had moved the High Court of Bombay at Goa, challenging the order on technical grounds, arguing that the order was bad in law and that the trial court had not considered the merits of the case. However, the HC upheld the anticipatory bail order on October 16.
Crime Branch then moved the Supreme Court and its special leave petition is still pending before it.
