(Eds: Recasting intro)Guwahati, Oct 10 (PTI) US-based consultancy firm LouisBerger, facing allegations of bribery in securing waterconsultancy projects in Assam, today said it would cooperatewith the officials probing the case.
The issue had come to light in 2015 after one BhabenHandique filed a police case in Guwahati alleging the US firmhad paid Rs six crore to Assam officials and politicians tobag the Rs 1,452 crore contract of a water supply projecthere.
According to a statement issued by the company here, "Thecompany self-reported Assam issues under a comprehensivecompany-led anti corruption campaign and will continue tocooperate with the Indian officials, just as we did in theUS."The case was handed over to the Criminal InvestigationDepartment by the then Congress government but Handique wentto the High Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigationprobe, alleging that the state agency was going slow andtrying to shield some influential people connected with thecase.
The Gauhati High Court had passed an order last monthdirecting the case be handed over to the CBI as the CID hasnot investigated the case in "right earnest and has beenconducting the same in a partisan manner".
Following the Hight Court's directive, Louis Bergerissued the statement claiming that it was the result of thecompany's own internal anti-corruption investigations that it"uncovered improper payments made in 2010 and prior byformer managers who we separated from the company".
"As a US company, we voluntarily reported these issues tothe US Department of Justice and supported theirinvestigations, finally resulting in a settlement with the USgovernment in 2015," the statement said.
As a result of the company's cooperation, the USgovernment did not pursue prosecution, instead agreed to deferprosecution as long as it paid a fine and continued to meetthe standards of a US government-appointed monitor, it said.
"We are also committed to cooperate fully with the Indianauthorities in their investigations, just as we did in theUS," the statement added.
"The company has invested more than USD 25 million forover seven years to transform Louis Berger into one of themost ethical companies in India," it said. PTI DG JM KJBSA.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.