K-P police arms scandal: Accused agrees to return kickback share

Niaz Ali Shah, the former adviser to ex-CM files plea to return Rs20m.

LAHORE: One of the culprits detained in connection with the embezzling of public funds in arms procurement for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) police has agreed to return his share of ill-gotten money under a plea bargain.

Niaz Ali Shah, the former adviser to ex-chief minister of K-P Ameer Haider Hoti, has agreed to give back Rs20 million under Voluntarily Return (VR), sources familiar with the matter revealed to The Express Tribune.



NAB had arrested Shah on Tuesday for his involvement in the Rs1.8 billion scandal linked to the procurement of arms for K-P Police.

Former IG of K-P Police Malik Naveed Khan is already in custody of NAB in the famous weapons procurement scandal.

Another suspect, Raza Ali Khan, the brother-in-law of Hoti’s brother Mir Ghazan, was arrested by the NAB sleuths on Monday from Islamabad.

NAB sources claimed that Shah has formally offered, through a letter to NAB chairman, to return the money under the Voluntary Return scheme of the anti-graft watchdog.

NAB investigation officer Enayat Khan and special prosecutor Lajbar Khan said Raza was accused of receiving Rs198 million from Arshad Majeed, a private contractor to whom most of the contracts of procurement were awarded, out of which he kept Rs3 million for himself whereas the rest of the Rs195 million was handed over to Ghazan.

They further alleged that Shah was adviser on law and order to the then chief minister K-P and was accused of receiving Rs20 million from Arshad Majeed.

Contractor spills the beans

Majeed and budget officer of K-P police Javed Khan were initially arrested on Feb 21, 2013. Majeed was released on bail by the high court after he turned approver.

Majeed told the court about the alleged kickbacks received by various government functionaries in the case.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2014.