Vasco: Crime Branch police probing Louis Berger bribery case on
Saturday attached documents of assets worth crores of rupees reportedly
belonging to Churchill Alemao and his family members during the raid on
Churchill’s tax consultant’s office at Vasco.
Interestingly none of these documents were available when the police had raided Churchill’s home
and office in August.
Several vital documents and computer hard disks containing records of Churchill’s accounts were also seized by the six-member team consisting of a police inspector from the office of tax consultant-cum-chartered accountant M/s Dayesh Naik and Company (MGR and Company) based at the first floor of Pinto Apartments behind Vidhyadhiraj Bhavan, Vasco. The raid started at around 11 am and continued till 6 pm.
It is learnt that now police have incriminating evidence pertaining to the financial as well as property details of Alemao. A senior police official, who was part of the raid, confirmed the developments and said that the data is being scrutinised.
Sources informed that police during the raid has attached documents of properties valued in crores of rupees. According to police, the assets are owned by Churchill and his family members.
Property papers that have been attached are in the name of Churchill Alemao, his son Savio and wife Fatima, informed sources. Papers of different companies formed in the name of Churchill and family members have also been attached.
The crime branch sleuths also questioned some staff attached to the office of the tax consultant during the course of the raid. As per sources, tax consultant Dayesh Naik was not in office during the raid.
Incidentally, the Crime Branch team on August 11 had raided the office and the residence of Churchill at Varca. However at that time only some documents and a dairy was found, but the raid conducted on Saturday at Churchill’s tax consultant office seems to have proven beneficial for the investigating agency as, “highly incriminating evidence pertaining to financial as well as property details of Churchill Alemao were found”, claimed sources adding that, “this details were not available when his (Churchill) house and office were raided”.
In connection with the case, police are likely to summon the tax consultant of Churchill Alemao shortly.
Alemao is one of the accused in the Louis Berger bribery case and was arrested on August 5 following revelation by the witnesses that bribe money was allegedly paid to him as well Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and officials of the project funded by JICA. On July 21, the Crime Branch police had registered a First Information Report (FIR) against unidentified Goa minister in connection with Louis Berger bribery case. The US based firm, Louis Berger is also booked in the case. The FIR was registered under various sections of the prevention of corruption act and also under criminal conspiracy.
According to reports, US-based Louis Berger was part of a consortium for Goa water supply and sewerage project funded by JICA in Goa and had reportedly paid bribe of over $ 9 lakh.
In connection with the case, the crime branch police had arrested four accused persons of which two are out on bail whereas two are still in judicial custody.
Alemao’s bail application has been rejected twice by the special court and had subsequently approached the High Court. Former head of the Goa water supply and sewerage project (funded by JICA), Anand M Wachasundar bail application has also been rejected twice by the special court.
The other two accused, Satyakam Mohanty the former Vice-President of Louis Berger, India operations and the alleged hawala operator Raichand Soni has been granted conditional bail. One more accused, Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was granted anticipatory bail by the special court, which has been challenged by the Crime Branch in the High Court.
Interestingly none of these documents were available when the police had raided Churchill’s home
and office in August.
Several vital documents and computer hard disks containing records of Churchill’s accounts were also seized by the six-member team consisting of a police inspector from the office of tax consultant-cum-chartered accountant M/s Dayesh Naik and Company (MGR and Company) based at the first floor of Pinto Apartments behind Vidhyadhiraj Bhavan, Vasco. The raid started at around 11 am and continued till 6 pm.
It is learnt that now police have incriminating evidence pertaining to the financial as well as property details of Alemao. A senior police official, who was part of the raid, confirmed the developments and said that the data is being scrutinised.
Sources informed that police during the raid has attached documents of properties valued in crores of rupees. According to police, the assets are owned by Churchill and his family members.
Property papers that have been attached are in the name of Churchill Alemao, his son Savio and wife Fatima, informed sources. Papers of different companies formed in the name of Churchill and family members have also been attached.
The crime branch sleuths also questioned some staff attached to the office of the tax consultant during the course of the raid. As per sources, tax consultant Dayesh Naik was not in office during the raid.
Incidentally, the Crime Branch team on August 11 had raided the office and the residence of Churchill at Varca. However at that time only some documents and a dairy was found, but the raid conducted on Saturday at Churchill’s tax consultant office seems to have proven beneficial for the investigating agency as, “highly incriminating evidence pertaining to financial as well as property details of Churchill Alemao were found”, claimed sources adding that, “this details were not available when his (Churchill) house and office were raided”.
In connection with the case, police are likely to summon the tax consultant of Churchill Alemao shortly.
Alemao is one of the accused in the Louis Berger bribery case and was arrested on August 5 following revelation by the witnesses that bribe money was allegedly paid to him as well Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and officials of the project funded by JICA. On July 21, the Crime Branch police had registered a First Information Report (FIR) against unidentified Goa minister in connection with Louis Berger bribery case. The US based firm, Louis Berger is also booked in the case. The FIR was registered under various sections of the prevention of corruption act and also under criminal conspiracy.
According to reports, US-based Louis Berger was part of a consortium for Goa water supply and sewerage project funded by JICA in Goa and had reportedly paid bribe of over $ 9 lakh.
In connection with the case, the crime branch police had arrested four accused persons of which two are out on bail whereas two are still in judicial custody.
Alemao’s bail application has been rejected twice by the special court and had subsequently approached the High Court. Former head of the Goa water supply and sewerage project (funded by JICA), Anand M Wachasundar bail application has also been rejected twice by the special court.
The other two accused, Satyakam Mohanty the former Vice-President of Louis Berger, India operations and the alleged hawala operator Raichand Soni has been granted conditional bail. One more accused, Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was granted anticipatory bail by the special court, which has been challenged by the Crime Branch in the High Court.
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