US firm pays Rs 6 crore bribe to bag Goa water project

Washington, July 18:Louis Berger, a New Jersey-based company, has reportedly paid crores of rupees to politicians and officials to bag water projects in Goa and Guwahati. The company in its annual audit report showed huge sums of money under Commitment fee, Marketing fee and Operation& Maintenance expenditure. The US tax officials grew suspicious and upon enquiry it was revealed that the company promoters Richard Hirsch and James Me Clung paid bribes to bag projects in several countries across the world. The US Justice department had the details of bribes paid to officials but it refused to divulge the information. According to reports, the company officials paid Rs 6 crore to a Minister to bag a project in Goa. The court imposed a fine of US $ 17.1 million on the executives as they accepted the bribery charge.The company has a branch in Hyderabad.