Churchill is a smuggler, fraud-man and NSA detenue: Goa Police
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 10 August 2015 23:27 IST
In order to strengthen its case of bribery, Goa police have now taken former minister Churchill Alemao head on, tracing his criminal history of smuggling, tender frauds and his detention under the National Security Act.
While pressing for extension of his remand in police custody, crime branch of Goa police revealed that Alemao has indirectly threatened even the Investigating Officer to dismiss him once he comes back to power.
Citing this incident while stating that he is not cooperating with the investigation, the police have expressed fear that he may threaten witnesses in the bribery case if he is released.
Alemao is facing a charge of taking huge amount of bribes from Louis Berger International Inc., a US-based consultancy firm, which is executing water supply and sewerage project funded by JICA in Goa.
The former PWD minister was arrested on 5 August.
The police have cited another case which the crime branch is investigating, relating to misappropriation of government funds to the tune of Rs 300 crore.
Referring to the complaint filed by Congress spokesperson Sunil Kawathankar (his party colleague) in 2011, when Alemao was in power, the police states Alemao misused his power for floating tenders in a fraudulent manner.
He allegedly floated 13 tender notices pertaining to 258 works of roads and maintenance as urgency works. Out of these, 89 works above Rs five lakh each were not even published in the newspapers, thus favouring prefixed contractors.
Goa police have also referred to the case of trampling with the national flag during official language agitation in 1986. The case was closed due to lack of evidence, they stated.
He was also involved in dividing Goan community over Konkani-Marathi language agitation, alleges Goa police, without mentioning in what manner.
In 1990, said Goa police, he was detained under the National Security Act.
In 1992, police states Alemao was involved in smuggling activity, as a result of which his brother was killed by a customs officer while transporting gold consignment.
“Alemao, along with his brothers, in 80-90s was alleged that his trawler business was a front for lucrative smuggling activity”, states the reply filed by the police in the court.
In 2005, the police recall a sting operation carried out by Star News, when he was the South Goa MP, seeking commission to approve a Konkani mobile library.
Churchill deserved punishment for all the crimes he commited but the CB of Goa Police is wrong to refer the case of trampling with the national flag during Konkani agitation..I am the witness present at the Rajendra Prasad stadium when Churchill along with his brother Ciabro and few supporters arrived at the stadium and requested to stop the function as it was already by the time of their arrival the National Flag was hosted...many of freedom fighters(mostly marathi supporters) strongly refused to stop the function...in between someone from churchill supporter hurl stone and one person was seen bleeding from the head...there after the function was already stopped and school childrens started going home....what left is only handfull of freedom fighters many of whom are now vanished from this earth...so once again I say it is wrong to blame churchill for tampering of flag...but surely he and his daughter need punishment for robbing the state.
Having said that the Goan congress political stars are guilty of taking gifts (bribes) from LB, what type of punishment is ahead of them. Will they stay in prison forever or return the money or roam freely by bribing again.
Unfortunately without giving gifts (bribes), no file will move in government offices even if you go to pay your house tax.
We need to elect new leaders who will move the files without giving bribes and the officials must know that we the people who are paying their salaries in the form of taxes, bills, stamp charges, etc.