The Income Tax department has attached the bank accounts of former Patna district magistrate Gautam Goswami, who is evading arrest in connection with the multi-crore flood-relief scam in Bihar, official sources said on Wednesday.

Though the official did not reveal how many accounts of Goswami's were frozen, he confirmed that his Patna accounts had been attached.

The bank accounts of the other key accused-- Santosh Kumar Jha, his father, wife and alleged mistress Nidhi Jha-- were also attached under Section 281(B) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

They added that 19 bank accounts of Jha and his close relatives had been attached. Earlier, the department had attached five flats and a cinema hall that belonged to Jha and his relatives.

In an earlier development, a Patna special court on Monday turned down the anticipatory bail application of Goswami.

The former bureaucrat is missing and Bihar has sounded a nationwide alert for him.

On May 31, the vigilance judge had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Goswami and eight others, including Jha, the alleged kingpin of the scam.

Jha has surrendered before the designated Judge Prasad, who remanded him to judicial custody till June 10.

Vigilance sleuths have arrested five of the 28 accused.

Earlier reports:

Flood scam: No bail for Time hero
Goswami will surrender, claims father
Flood-relief scam: Arrest warrant against Goswami
Cops after Goswami: Airports alerted