New Delhi, Nov 4 (FN Bureau) Alleging that the BJP government in Goa was involved in the multi-crore financial scam during the preparations of National games, the opposition Congress party on Saturday demanded a Judicial probe under the supervision of a retired High Court Judge. The Principle Opposition party has also asked for an immediate safety audit of funds allocated for conducting national games in Goa. Addressing a press conference, Congress general secretary Captain Viriato Fernandes said the judicial probe and safety audit are the only options.
“As the money belongs to public exchequer and runs into almost a thousands of crores, it is imperative that a thorough enquiry be ordered to unearth the massive scam and punish the guilty involved in usurping public money, ” Fernandes said. He said that the probe should held under a retired judge of Goa High Court so that all culprits including Ministers and bureaucrats could be brought to book. The Congress leader pointed out that preliminary investigation has revealed that commencing from tendering process of finalizing the project management company to oversee games, to escalation of estimated costs, restricting bidders by fudging criteria for awarding various contracts have been steeped into corruption and nepotism.
Giving out details of acts of corruption involved in the preparations for national games, he said that the collapse of the arch at an indoor stadium, falling of piller and leakage of rain water from rooftop cover are testimony to the level of corruption involved in the conduct of games. The Congress general said that despite repeated highlighting of the shortcomings, the authorities failed to go for a course correction, adding that all stakeholders have been robbed of the long awaited excitement for the much awaited mega events in the state being propelled with the tax payers money. The national games that are scheduled to be held in November 2016 in Goa, were repeatedly delayed are finally undrway in Goa.