File Photo: Union Defence Minister and former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar (Agence France-Presse)
Terming the Louis Berger bribery case as just the "tip of the iceberg", Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said the Centre will extend all possible assistance to expose the "scams" during Congress rule in Goa.
"This (Louis Berger scam) is just the tip of the iceberg. It is time to bring out all the Congress scams in the open," the former Goa Chief Minister said addressing party workers in Panaji yesterday.
Mr Parrikar said that while the law enforcement agencies will do their work, the party should keep up pressure on former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who headed the Congress-led government when the alleged bribery scam took place in 2009, and he should be "made to suffocate over the scam."
"They will be exposed. I guarantee that I will offer whatever help is needed from the Centre, right from the Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax and CBI to expose them," he said.
Mr Parrikar pointed out that it was clearly said in the US District Court order that the company officials have paid bribes to the then Goa ministers.
"Now there are only two (former) ministers in the zone of consideration. No other ministers are related to this. PWD (minister) is natural, but along with PWD minister there is also Finance (minister) who has to release the money. If he does not release the money, this cannot happen," Mr Parrikar said.
Attacking Mr Kamat, he said to the party workers: "Put him in a corner and ensure that he is made to suffocate over the scam."
During the meeting yesterday, the BJP also resolved that all the acts of corruption during the former Congress government's rule should be investigated.
Louis Berger has been charged with bribing Indian officials with several crores of rupees to win two major water developmental projects in Goa and Guwahati.
The alleged bribery of $976,630 for a Goa project included kickbacks to a minister, the details of which have not been disclosed by the US Department of Justice.
All the tenders for the JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) project, of which Louis Berger was the consultant, were issued as per Central Public Works Department prescribed norms.