Advertisement

Help
You are here: Rediff Home » India » News » PTI
Search:  Rediff.com The Web
Advertisement
  Discuss this Article   |      Email this Article   |      Print this Article

Flood relief scam: Bihar governor not averse to CBI probe
Get news updates:What's this?
Advertisement
April 27, 2005 14:28 IST

Bihar Governor Buta Singh on Wednesday said he is not averse to a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged diversion of funds meant for flood relief in the state.

"A state agency is already on the job...let the report come first," he said adding that the state government will order FIRs to be lodged against officials concerned if a case of defalcation or diversion of funds is prima facie made out.

Also see: Flood scam -- Bihar govt to file FIR

Gautam Goswami, a 1992 batch IAS officer, who was named by Time magazine a 'Young Asian Hero' for his exemplary work in providing help to flood victims in Bihar last year, is now in the firing line for allegedly diverting funds meant for flood relief to a private company.

Goswami, the then district magistrate of Patna and nodal officer for coordinating relief for 25 flood-hit districts, paid Rs 17.18 crore to the Bihar Small Scale Industries Corporation, the sole organisation in charge of supplying relief material.

Also see: Ex-Patna DM in trouble, inquiry ordered

Early this month, the BSSIC said it supplied material worth only Rs 22 lakh and has so far been paid Rs 13 lakh.

The rest of the money, documents show, went to an employee of BSSIC, a certain B K Singh.

Singh appears in records as the man raising bills and getting payments from Goswami, BSSIC says it has no employee by that name.

Goswami resigned shortly before the February assembly election in the state and joined the Sahara group.


© Copyright 2008 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.
 Email this Article      Print this Article

© 2008 Rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer | Feedback