Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered a clarifying evaluation of the bribery allegation at Vietnam Railways on March 24.
Japan Transportation Consultants, Inc. (JTC) admitted to bribery charges, according to press. The company bribed their clients to win contracts for the Urban Railway Route No. 1 in Hanoi. The project is funded by the Official Development Assistance from Japan.
JTC admitted to the allegations during an interrogation by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office.
Deputy Prime Minister Phuc ordered the Ministry of Public Security to work with the Supreme People’s Court, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate the charges.
They will contact Japanese agencies to collect documents regarding the incident. Suspects found guilty will be prosecuted.
Ngo Anh Tao and Tran Quoc Dong, deputy director generals at the Vietnam Railways, have been suspended for 10 days, said Tran Ngoc Thanh, chairman of the Members Council. They will be working on a full report of the incident during their suspension.
Vietnam Railway Authority also suspended Tran Van Luc, director for the Railway Project Management Board, from March 24-April 7. He allegedly received VND 16 billion (US$ 759,000) in bribes.
Luc was director of the Railway Project Management Unit under the Vietnam Railways before being appointed board director. He will be forced to explain his personal responsibility while being in position.
The Vietnam Railway Authority ordered Luc to closely work with the Vietnam Railways evaluation and assign works to his deputies.
Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Ngoc Dong asked authorities to synthesize documents and evaluations of relevant individuals related to the VND 16 billion bribery charge. They must submit this to the ministry’s leader by March 26.
All members of the Railway Project Management Unit since 2008 must make evaluations as of March 31.
Dong agreed with the proposal from the Transport Ministry Inspectorate to establish an investigation unit to investigate projects related to JTC.
Ministry sends a delegation to Japan
Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang sent Deputy Minister Dong and Head of International Cooperation Department Pham Thanh Tung to Japan to do additional investigations about the incident on March 24.
A delegation will meet them on March 25.
Deputy Minister Dong will directly work with Japanese agencies, JTC and other sources to clarify the case.
Investigation Agency under the Ministry of Public Security are working with the Ministry of Transport Inspectorate to inspect all projects to build urban railway routes in Hanoi, especially those that JTC won the bids, said the agency permanent deputy head Trieu Van Dat.
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