Boston firm confesses to paying Rs 6.7 crore as bribe to NHAI officials

CDM Smith, a consultancy firm based in Boston, has admitted to the justice department of the United States of paying a bribe of $1.18 million (approximately Rs 6.7 crore) to NHAI officials between 2011 and 2015.

This has prompted the highways authority to launch a probe to know about the said bribe.

CDM Smith, on the other hand, has agreed to pay $40,371,38 (approximately Rs 25 cr) to the US Treasury, the profit it earned from "illegally obtained" works for supervising highway construction, designing contracts and a water project contract in Goa.

The amount will be paid in four instalments by October 1, 2017.

"The bribes generally were 2-4% of the contract price and paid through fraudulent subcontractors, who provided no actual services and understood that payments were meant to solely benefit the officials," said a statement from the department.

As per an NHAI official, a probe will be launched to identify the officials who took the bribe.

(Image source Richard Bistrong)