Ex Assam minister clarifies his non-involvement in US firm bribery case

Guwahati: A report claiming that a New Jersey-based construction management firm has been charged with bribing a minister in Goa and Guwahati rocked the state with ex Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hurriedly addressing a press conference here on Sunday to clarify that the US Department of Justice has referred the involvement of officials only, not “mantri” in Assam.

Mr Sarma said, “My name has been unnecessarily dragged in this controversy as entire decision of awarding contract for a water development project was executed under the supervision of Japanese bank which is financing the project.”

Asserting that the state government had very limited say in such externally aided projects, Mr Sarma however said that it was the responsibility of the government to look into it. “In my knowledge there was no fault in awarding the project and nobody complained till I was in the office,” Mr Sarma said.