NEW DELHI: The bribery case involving US firm Louis Berger could give BJP some much-needed ammunition ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament as the case might put one serving and a former Congress chief minister in a politically tough spot.

The revelation that Louis Berger officials admitted having paid a $976,630 bribe for contracts in Goa and Assam in 2010 can give BJP a useful handle at a time when it is under fire from the Congress for the Lalit Modi and Vyapam controversies.

The US firm has agreed to cough up a $17 million fine for a criminal act for securing water infrastructure projects in Assam and Goa. Along with Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh who is under the scanner in a disproportionate assets case, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi and former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat could face some embarrassing queries over the US case.

READ ALSO: US firm paid Rs 6 crore bribe for Goa, Guwahati projects

The Louis Berger case is interesting as the US firm's email record notes bribes being paid for the Goa contract to an unnamed minister. The firm's internal record shows money being paid to officials in Assam and Goa with regard to the contract. The facts of the case were revealed by the US state department after disclosures by the firm.

BJP sources argue that allegations of political vendetta cannot be levelled against the Narendra Modi government as the cases came to light in the US without any Indian involvement. In the Virbhadra Singh case, the CBI has been pursuing the matter since the UPA tenure though the investigation is now reaching a conclusion.

Congress has used the Lalit Modi visa controversy and the fallen IPL chief's alleged business contacts with Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that the government's first year in office has passed without a corruption scandal.

With Congress demanding the resignations of foreign minister Sushma Swaraj, Raje and Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as a condition to allowing passage of major bills in Rajya Sabha where it holds a decisive clout, the fresh bribery case may help BJP even the scales a bit.

The revelations saw defence minister Manohar Parrikar and Goa chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar launch a scathing attack on the Congress over corruption charges.

While Parrikar demanded an explanation from “two former ministers” over the episode but stopped short of naming them, Parsekar said as there was apparently some documentary evidence in the case, it was imperative that truth emerges before the public.

“Two former ministers owe an explanation (over the issue). One is the former PWD minister who goes on pointing fingers at others. Rs 6 crore was taken as bribe. Through whom was this bribe given? In which bungalow did the negotiations take place? The CBI should collect information about this. The government may also seek this information. Where did this money go? Did it go to football or Switzerland?” Parrikar asked. “I won’t take names, but these people looted Goa,” he added.