Thursday, August 11 2005 14:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: The high-profile former Patna district magistrate Gautam Goswami, who is currently lodged in jail in Patna in connection with flood relief scam, is in for fresh trouble with the Bihar Government ordering vigilance probe against him in the misutilisation and diversion of Rs 1.52 crore funds of the Urban Department as DM, official sources said today (Aug 11, 2005).

Following the State Government's recommendation, the Vigilance department has constituted a four-member team comprising three-deputy superintendent of police rank officers and an inspector, Additional Director General, Vigilance, Neelmani told sources.

Earlier in June this year, the Urban Development Department authorities had requested Governor Buta Singh and the Chief Secretary to get the matter probed by a Government agency.

Then Patna DM Sudhir Kumar, who had replaced Goswami following his resignation, had found prima facie evidence of misutilisation and diversion of funds of Swarna Jayanti Shahri Vikas Yojna (SJSVY) and National Slum Development Programme (NSDP).

Neelmani said the vigilance department has begun the process for seizure of records in the matter.

According to the sources, the Urban Development Department had sanctioned Rs 76 lakh under the SJSVY and Rs 53 lakh under the NSDP schemes for Patna district.

However, Goswami, who happened to be the chairman of District Urban Development Authority (Duda) allotted the money to several non-existing NGOsin gross violation of the prescribed rules.

Goswami, a Time magazine awardee, is currently in Beur jail for the past over one month in the flood relief scam.