Granting pre-arrest bail to Digambar Kamat, a local court today said that just because he is a former Chief Minister he cannot be called "an influential person" who may pressurise the witnesses in the Louis Berger bribery case.
The judge also said that Kamat was evidently cooperating with the investigations.
The crime branch of Goa police has named Kamat and former PWD minister Churchill Alemao among others in the bribery case. The case came to light when Louis Berger, a US-based firm, admitted to have paid bribe to a Goa minister for consultancy contract for a water project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
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"The applicant is no doubt a politician and an ex-CM as well as present MLA of Margao, but this aspect will not stamp him as an influential person as far as the aspect of putting pressure on the persons who are acquainted with the facts.... and dissuade them from disclosing it to the court or to the police," said the district judge B P Deshpande in the order.
A politician may have a lot of respect in the society, but it doesn't mean it is an "influence" which can be used to pressurise the witnesses, unless there are "material facts" substantiating such an apprehension, the judge said.
Prosecutor G D Kirtani, stressing the need for Kamat's custodial interrogation, had said that the police were yet to trace some important files. But the court said that no witness had linked Kamat with these missing files.
"It is the main contention of the investigating officer that the applicant (Kamat) has not disclosed about the noting file which is material piece of evidence and he may destroy the same in case not arrested," the court said.
