Wednesday, June 1 2005 11:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: In the face of non-bailable warrant of arrest against him in the multi-crore flood-relief scam, Santosh Kumar Jha, alleged 'kingpin' of the 'swindle' of several crore Rupees meant for providing relief for flood-hit poor, today (Jun 1, 2005) gave himself up before the designated Vigilance judge who remanded him to judicial custody for 10 days.

Accompanied by his lawyer and former Law Minister Shakeel Ahmed Khan, Jha surrendered before the Vigilance Judge J M Prasad in the case charging former Patna DM Gautam Goswami and others, including Jha with committing fraud, forgery and cheating allegedly by siphoning off Government funds worth several crore Rupees allotted for providing relief materials to flood-hit victims in Bihar in 2004.

Prasad remanded him to judicial custody till June 10 when he would be produced by the jail authorities.

Khan told the court Jha was also surrendering in connection with another vigilance case relating to alleged irregularities committed by his "black listed firm" - Santosh printing press, in execution of the literacy project in Kathiwar.