'Enough proof against ex-DM'

PATNA: The state vigilance bureau on Thursday sought sanction from the state government as well as the Centre to prosecute former Patna DM Gautam Goswami in over Rs 17-crore flood relief scam.
The investigating agency is likely to file a chargesheet against 13 of the 28 named accused in the case, including the alleged kingpin of the scam, Santosh Kumar Jha and Amitabh Arun, by August 25.Vigilance ADG Neelmani said the agency has collected enough evidence against the 13 accused to file a chargesheet against them.
Neelmani said while in the case of Goswami, the vigilance has sought sanction from both the state as well as the Centre, in the case of other state government officials, it has sought sanction from only the state government. As far as seeking sanction from the Centre to prosecute Goswami is concerned, Neelmani said the investigating agency has sought it through the state government. The sanction from the Centre is needed as Goswami has also been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act besides the IPC, he added.
The vigilance bureau has also sought sanction from IDBI Bank chairman B P Sethi to prosecute two officials of the Kashi Palace branch of the bank in Patna -- Sanjay Kumar Jha and Sajjad Ali -- in the case, Neelmani said.