By IANS,
Panaji: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has closed the corruption case against former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar over the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) infrastructure scam for lack of evidence, a senior official said Thursday.
Speaking to reporters here, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police Pravin Salunke said a closure report had been filed by the investigation agency last month.
“We have filed a closure report with the court last month for lack of evidence,” Salunke said.
The CBI was probing Parrikar, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and present leader of opposition in the Goa legislative assembly, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, for irregularities found in the matter of Goa International Film Festival 2004.
The complaint against Parrikar was filed by Congress legislator Mauvin Godinho for alleged financial embezzlement while building infrastructure for the 2004 IFFI, which was being held in Goa for the first time.
Several top leaders including Parrikar and current Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who was then a BJP leader and a key member of the IFFI organising committee, have been questioned by the CBI in the case.
Kamat had subsequently quit the BJP and joined the Congress.