Bribery scam: Pratapsingh Rane compares Goa Crime Branch to 'Gestapo'

PANAJI: Against the backdrop of two Congress leaders on police radar in Louis Berger bribery case, Leader of Opposition in Goa Assembly Pratapsingh Rane today compared the state Crime Branch to be acting like Nazi German police ' Gestapo'.

"There is some kind of Gestapo. There has been some leakage of information which is defaming our members," Rane alleged during the ongoing Assembly session when the House assembled for the day.

Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and German-occupied Europe which was founded in 1933 and dissolved in 1945.

"...I am expecting a statement from the Chief Minister. There is some kind of character assassination of our member," Rane said.

He was indirectly referring to news reports quoting replies filed by Crime Branch hinting at the the alleged involvement of former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and then Public Works Department Minister Churchill Alemao in the Louis Berger bribery case.

The US-based company has confirmed to have paid bribe to an Indian minister to win consultancy for Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project in Goa.

Referring to media speculations about Independent legislator Vijay Sardesai's alleged involvement in the pay-off scandal, he said, "Today it is Vijay Sardessai, tomorrow it will be me...tomorrow it would be against anybody else...this should stop...They (police) leak out some kind of information and rumours."

"I would like a strong statement from the Chief Minister if you believe in the democratic ideal of the country and its Constitution," Rane said.