PANJIM: Goa's Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar can now watch movies in the INOX multiplex here, seven years after it was constructed as he has been absolved of corruption charges by the CBI. Parrikar, then Goa Chief Minister had vowed not to enter INOX multiplex till he was cleared off the charges. He was being probed for allegedly syphoning off money in the construction of infrastructure for International film festival of India (IFFI) way back in 2004.
Yesterday, the Rajya Sabha was told that CBI has decided to close case against Parrikar as there was no evidence against him. "Now I can see any good movie in the INOX multiplex. I will invite you all also with me whenever I go," Parrikar told mediapersons, adding that he was pleased at being absolved of all charges.
The BJP leader said he had never entered the multiplex since the time the Congress legislator Mauvin Godinho filed case against him and it was handed over to CBI.
Parrikar was instrumental in constructing the multiplex, which was built in a record time of 180 days in the run up for the preparations for IFFI 2004.
Referring to the charges, he said the state government had misinformed Comptroller Auditor General about accounts of IFFI, which had led to the confusion.
"The information was either hidden or manipulated while being given to CAG," Parrikar said, adding the CAG never named him as a culprit in the entire audit.
Parrikar said Congress-led state cabinet decided to hand over the enquiry to CBI in 2005. But the investigating agency after preliminary enquiry filed a report that there was no substance in the allegations in 2006.
"Some of the Congress leaders under guidance of then Congress' Goa desk incharge Margarette Alva felt that clean chit by CBI would be an embarrassment for them. So Congress legislator Mauvin Godinho filed criminal complaint with Panaji police station against me," the BJP leader alleged.
He said CAG in its recent report dropped 14 paragraphs from their earlier findings giving clean chit to him.
Parrikar said INOX multiplex is state government's only project which paid off all the money invested in it. "From that multiplex state earns lease fee of Rs 30 lakh and entertainment fee of Rs 31 lakh monthly," he said. – PTI
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