Former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who headed the government during the alleged bribery case involving a US firm in 2009, has denied involvement of any of his ministers.


"All the tenders for the JAICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) project were issued as per central public works department norms. There is no intervention of any minister in it," Kamat said today. He said the role of any state department comes to the fore only while deciding estimates for the tender.


"Once estimates are drawn there is no possibility of any minister interfering in it," he said. The former chief minister said a consortium from Japan was the lowest bidder for this project aiming to revive water and sewerage system in Goa.


"Anyone can allege that he paid money to the minister but there should be proper base to support it," he said.


Union Minister and former Goa CM Manohar Parrikar had yesterday hinted that two ex-ministers might be involved in the alleged bribery case involving New Jersey-based construction management firm Louis Berger over a water developmental scheme in the state. Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had earlier said he will demand a CBI inquiry into the allegations.