Parrikar given clean chit in IFFI scam case
February 24th, 2011 - 5:26 pm ICT by IANS
Panaji, Feb 24 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has given a clean chit to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar in the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) infrastructure scam, Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik said Thursday. The complaint against Parrikar, who is also leader of opposition in the Goa legislative assembly, was filed by Congress legislator Mauvin Godinho for alleged financial irregularities in building infrastructure for the 2004 edition of IFFI, which was being held in Goa for the first time.
The clean chit comes amidst reports that the BJP leader has gone soft in his criticism of key state Congress leaders, which includes the current Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who was also questioned by CBI officials in connection with the scam.
In a written statement issued Thursday, Naik quoted union Minister of State for Personnel and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office V. Narayanasamy’s reply to his question in the upper house on the status of the CBI probe against Parrikar.
“The investigation against the ex-chief minister of Goa (Parrikar) is complete and the evidence has not been found to be sufficient to prosecute the case, and as such, a closure report is being filed,” Naik said, quoting Narayanasamy.
The CBI was probing Parrikar under multiple sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1988.
The complaint was filed months after the BJP lost to the Congress in the state elections and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) swept to power in 2004.
Several top leaders, including Parrikar and Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who was then a BJP leader and a key member of the IFFI organising committee, have been questioned by the investigative agency. Kamat had subsequently quit the BJP and joined the Congress.
Over the last couple of years, the BJP cadre and political commentators have accused Parrikar of going strategically soft in his criticism of the Congress ministers, namely Kamat, Vishwajeet Rane and Atanasio Monserrate, even after scam after scam relating to mining, excise, real estate and health infrastructure keep tumbling out of the Congress-led coalition government’s larder.
- Corruption case against former Goa chief minister closed - May 19, 2011
- CBI to file charge sheet in IFFI scam by year-end - Oct 07, 2010
- After 'Modi best friend' comment, Kamat goes soft on Parrikar - Apr 18, 2010
- Will Goa chief minister be quizzed in IFFI scam case? - Apr 26, 2010
- Parrikar quizzed by CBI in IFFI scam - Apr 15, 2010
- Congress MP challenges Kamat's clean chit to BJP leader - May 11, 2010
- 2004 scam charges hound Goa chief minister - Apr 22, 2010
- Kamat's statment recorded in film fest scam case: CBI - Jun 01, 2010
- Will sue BJP leaders over mining charge: Goa minister - Oct 10, 2011
- BJP to release own report on Goa's illegal mining - Oct 08, 2011
- Ex-deputy speaker named as Congress' Goa poll campaign manager - Feb 08, 2011
- Court issues notice to CBI on Goa scam - May 05, 2010
- Goa's Manohar Parrikar no longer riding pillion (Profile) - Mar 07, 2012
- Quote, unquote, misquote... travails of Digambar Kamat (Comment) - May 25, 2010
- Goa's land scam haunts two Congress ex-chief ministers - Dec 06, 2011
Tags: cbi officials, cbi probe, central bureau of investigation, chief minister, clean chit, closure report, congress leaders, financial irregularities, international film festival, investigative agency, kamat, leader of opposition, manohar parrikar, political commentators, prevention of corruption act, progressive alliance, scam case, shantaram, state congress, state elections