Panaji, Dec 31 (PTI): Former Goa Public Works Department minister and senior Congress leader Churchill Alemao has been booked in connection with a multi-crore tender scam.

The crime branch yesterday filed an FIR against Alemao and a senior PWD officer P T Parker alleging their involvement in the Rs 300 crore scam which took place last year.

The complaint against Alemao and others was registered by NATO National Student Union of India (NSUI) Vice President Sunil Kawthankar alleging the former PWD Ministry cheated the government of the whopping amount by illegally awarding 258 tenders in works division (Roads) alone, each of which cost Rs five lakh or more.

The FIR was filed after Principal Sessions Judge Anuja Prabhudesai in an order on September 19 this year directed the Crime Branch to register a case.

As per the complaint around 258 tenders was fraudulently awarded in works division of XXV (Roads) as the tenders were not published in newspapers, violating the CPWD guidelines.

The complainant had alleged it was in order to grant the works to favoured contractors.

Parker had reportedly admitted that he had done so with the written approval of Alemao.A vigilance inquiry was held which had prima facie confirmed the allegations.