Thursday, June 30 2005 15:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Bihar Government today (Jun 30, 2005) decided to suspend high-profile IAS officer and former Patna district magistrate Gautam Goswami, who surrendered before a special court in Patna in connection with the multi-crore-flood relief scam and was sent to jail.

''The State Government has decided to suspend Goswami and the concerned file is being processed for being forwarded to Governor Buta Singh for approval,'' Chief Secretary G S Kang told sources in Patna after a meeting with Governor Buta Singh.

''The Governor is likely to approve the file this evening and we will then send it to the Centre for confirmation,'' he said.

The governor had told reporters here that the State administration had already prepared a proposal to suspend the services of Goswami following serious corruption charges against him.

Earlier, Goswami who was on the run for a month after the vigilance bureau registered a case of fraud, forgery and cheating against him and 27 others on May 28, surrendered before the court of designated vigilance judge Jitendra Mohan Prasad who remanded him to judicial custody till July 6.

Referring to the alleged misappropriation of funds of over Rs 1.5 crore meant for execution of urban development schemes, Singh said the case would also be handed over to the vigilance bureau.

''We will get the entire irregularities in execution of the development and welfare schemes reported during Goswami's tenure as Patna district magistrate inquired into and take legal action,'' he added.