Mr Goswami, IAS, is finally charged along with ten others

Among these are two officials of the Patna branch of IDBI Bank, Sanjay Kumar Jha and Shailendra Kumar. They are accused of helping the scamsters to fraudulently open accounts in the bank and siphon off crores of rupees meant for extending relief to the flood-affected people. Prominent among the government officials chargesheeted were Mukteshwar Prasad, former Managing Director of Bihar Small Scale Industries Corporation (BSSIC); Basudev Das, Additional District Magistrate posted in the Relief and Rehabilitation Department; Devendra Kumar, Additional Collector; Parmeshwar Prasad Swarnakar, a government typist; and Amitabh Arun, a computer programmer in the DM’s office.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Director General (DG), Vigilance, Neelmani said the government officials have been accused of conspiring to siphon an amount of Rs 10.4 crore released by the state government for flood relief.

Neelmani said only one official — Birendra Mahto, Superintendent of the Labour Department — was still absconding. He said they had moved the court for attaching his property. He added that the chargesheet against another accused, Brahmachari Upendra Mishra, who surrendered recently, would be filed soon.

Asked about the questionnaire sent to other senior officials, including former Chief Secretary K. A. H. Subramanian, he said they were yet to give their replies.

Expressing satisfaction over the progress of the probe, Neelmani said they were now moving towards finding out where the money siphoned off had been invested.

Meanwhile, the judicial remand of Gautam Goswami was extended till September 7.