NAB files reference against 14 govt officers

HYDERABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed on Friday a reference against 30 persons, including 14 government officers and staff, in a case of embezzlement of public funds in a town committee of Sujawal district.

A former deputy commissioner, four town officers, three accountants and two auditors besides 16 private persons, all contractors, are accused in the alleged misappropriation of over Rs115 million.

According to the reference, filed by NAB director-general Col (r) Sirajuddin Naeem in the accountability court, although the funds were released to the contractors the development works were never finished. The inquiry against town committee Sujawal's officials and contractors formally began on September 23, 2015.



Some 20 nominated persons in the reference are absconding while eight, including former deputy commissioner Shaukat Hussain Jokhio, have obtained preventive bail. Two others are in NAB's custody.

The alleged fraud occurred during March 2012 to February 2015. Four town officers, who served in the post from time to time, and the DC as administrator of the town committee, issued cheques to the contractors, allegedly, for various separate projects.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2016.