Friday, June 17 2005 16:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: The special vigilance court in Patna today (Jun 17, 2005) issued proclamation notices against elusive former Patna district magistrate Gautam Goswami and seven others in connection with the multi-crore flood relief scam ordering them to appear before it by July 16 failing which property attachment orders would be passed against them.

Special vigilance judge Jitendra Mohan Sharma accepted the prayer of vigilance investigation bureau counsel P P Singh for issuance of proclamation notice against the accused, remaining at large despite non-bailable warrants and passed the order.

As per the procedure, the proclamation notices would be pasted at the houses of the accused to inform them about the court's order.

The seven others included IDBI manager (customers cell) Sajjad Ali and Goswami's assistant Amitabh Arun.

According to the procedure, issuance of proclamation notice is a step before the order for property attachment of an accused evading arrest.

The same court had on May 31 issued non-bailable warrants of arrest against the high-profile former Patna DM and time magazine awardee Goswami and eight others in the scam.

The court had also ordered to search the houses of the accused and impound Goswami's passport.

Goswami's parents reside in Dehri-on-Sone sub-division of Bihar's Rohtas district.

Following issuance of the NBW, one of the accused and alleged kingpin of the scam Santosh Jha had surrendered in the court and is currently lodged in Beur jail.

But eight others, including Goswami remained at large.