Hawala operator Soni arrested in Berger bribery case
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 07 August 2015 17:24 IST
Raichand Soni, a Dubai-based hawala operator, was arrested by Goa police today in connection with the Louis Berger bribery case.
The police confirmed the arrest but refused to divulge any more details.
Soni was mentioned by India-based former officials of Louis Berger International Inc. as the hawala operator, through whom the bribe money had travelled from USA to India.
It is still not known whether he has also named whom the money was paid.
In a reply filed before the special court at Panaji dealing with corruption cases, crime branch of Goa police has revealed that the bribe was paid by the officials of Louis Berger (India).
According to information, Soni was summoned from Dubai for interrogation and was then arrested.
The money which he transferred from USA to India was finally allegedly paid to former Congress chief minister Digambar Kamat and PWD minister Churchill Alemao.
The bribe was meant for approving Louis Berger as the consultancy firm to execute the water supply and sewerage development plan, funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Meanwhile, special court today remanded Satyakam Mohanty, former vice president of Louis Berger (India), to 14-day judicial custody.
He was arrested and then was remanded to police custody.
A M Wachasundar, who was the first one to be arrested, has also been serving the judicial custody, after spending eight days in police lock-up.
Soni is the fourth person to be arrested in the Louis Berger bribery case, which involves total amount of Rs six crore, paid to Goan politicians and government officials between 2009 to 2011.
Alemao is presently in the police custody while Kamat is out on interim relief by the court as his anticipatory bail would be heard on 12 August.
looks like the Goan state will run without opposition.