Louis Berger paid close to $1 million to a minister, disguising them as 'commitment fee', 'counterpart per diem', 'marketing fee' and 'field operations expenses', US authorities have said.
Goa government today suspended project director A Wachasunder who was heading the Water augmentation and sewerage line project which has run into controversy over bribery charges.
"I have directed that Wachasunder be placed under suspension for fair probe in the matter," chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar told reporters today.
The Crime branch is investigating into the accusation by US company Louis Berger that it bribed Indian ministers to win consultancy contracts for water augmentation and sewerage projects in Goa and Guwahati.
Mr Parsekar said Crime branch has been heading in a right direction in this investigation and will finish its preliminary report by next week.
The Crime Branch officials during their investigation have began interrogation of Wachasunder at its office tonight.
A senior official said that he might be placed under arrest, if required.
The police have already searched offices of Wachasunder who is heading JICA project, which is Japanese funding project executed by state public works department.