CBI probes into Parrikar's IFFI deeds

GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 15 April 2010 23:18 IST

State opposition leader Manohar Parrikar was interrogated by the CBI today, in the case of an alleged scam of IFFI 2004.

The CBI is also expected to record statements of chief minister Digambar Kamat and few other ministers, as witnesses in the case.

Parrikar, though co-operated with the CBI, alleged that the investigation is a political vendetta.

The CBI is investigating into the strictures passed in the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, alleging illegalities into the first IFFI that was organised by then chief minister Parrikar.

"The CAG report itself is a big fraud," claimed Parrikar. If arrested, he said, he would not apply for a bail. Around 100 BJP activists had gathered in front of the CBI office, while Parrikar was interrogated for around two hours.

In a letter written to the CBI, Parrikar has questioned whether members of the core committee of the Entertainment Society of Goa would also be interrogated. He also objected in the letter to the CBI's action of going to their offices to record their statements, while he was summoned to the office.

The then core committee members included chief minister Kamat, Speaker Pratapsingh Rane, power minister Aleixo Sequeira, water resources minister Philip Neri Rodrigues, education minister Babush Monseratte and few others.

Meanwhile, union parliamentary affairs minister Prithviraj Chauvan today told Rajya Sabha that 22 allegations against Parrikar are being investigated into by the CBI in connection with the IFFI infrastructure 'scam'.

He was replying to the question asked by Congress RS MP Shantaram Naik.

The BJP leader has been accused of financial misappropriation while creating infrastructure for hosting the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in 2004 during his chief ministership.

Cases have been registered against Parrikar under IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, he said.

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If the CBI and the Election Commission could be truly autonomous it could not come under any political pressure and no party could use it for political purpose! For that it should have been made like the BBC in UK. where it is not scared of speaking against the Govt. for its wrong doings and most of the times is seen impartial. It is unfortunate that this does not happen here in this country as the indirect controls lie always with the politicians! It is real unfortunate that the Opposition party now also did not bother to bring out the necessary legislations to insulate the Judiciary, CBI, the Election Commission, from the political interference by granting them true autonomy! Same thing should have happened with the CBDT/IT dept.

I wish the opposition will learn a lesson to correct the mistakes which have been exploited by corrupt politicians!

- vishwas prabhudesai, loliem | 16 th April 2010 21:52