Louis Berger probe: ED issues summons to company officials

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday issued summons to seven people, including three former Louis Berger officials and an alleged hawala operator.

The summons were issued in relation with a money laundering case filed in connection with the international bribery scandal involving the global consultancy company and Goa's politicians and bureaucrats.

A senior official of the central agency told reporters that Satyakam Mohanty, Maladi Shivarama and Sanjay Jindal (former Louis Berger officials), Raichand Soni, an alleged hawala operator and three others were issued summons to appear before ED officials in Goa.

The ED officials have filed an Enforcement Case Investigation Record, following the bribery scandal.

Former chief minister Digambar Kamat, along with then state public works department minister Churchill Alemao and other government officials have been accused of allegedly accepting a $976,630 bribe in 2010 from officials of US-based Louis Berger consultancy firm.

The bribe was allegedly taken to secure implementation rights of a multi-billion dollar water and sewerage project in Goa worth Rs.1,031 crore funded by the Japan International Co-Operation Agency (JICA), cleared in 2010 by a Congress-led coalition government.

While Alemao has been arrested, Kamat is currently out on anticipatory bail.

Soni, Mohanty and now former JICA director Anand Wachasundar have already been arrested by the Goa Police Crime Branch which is investigating the bribery case.