Corruption at Polyclinic: Court dismisses bail plea of doctors, section officer

Suspects accused of embezzling millions of rupees

ISLAMABAD: A special court dismissed the bail applications of five doctors of the Polyclinic hospital, a section officer of the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) and a contractor who had been arrested on corruption charges.

Special Judge Central Malik Nazir Ahmed dismissed the bail pleas of the suspects in a case related to the embezzlement of millions of rupees while procuring medical supplies for the hospital in the fiscal year 2013-14.

The Supreme Court had taken suo motu notice of irregularities when buying medical gas and allied services for the hospital. On August 19, Justice Saqib Nisar directed the FIA to investigate the matter and submit a report. On September 1, 2016, FIA arrested the suspects.

The agency launched an enquiry discovered irregularities in the procurement process. FIA said the procurement rules were violated on four counts during the bidding process, causing a loss of Rs30 million to the exchequer.

The suspects, however, had managed to secure bail.

Apart Farhan Sikandar, the CADD section officer, the arrested officials include Polyclinic Deputy Executive Director Dr Iftikhar Naru, Dr Azmat Humayun Sumbal, Dr Farrukh Iqbal and Fayyaz A Shaikh.

Dr Zahid Hussain was also nominated in the FIR lodged at the FIA’s Anti-Corruption Circle in Islamabad, but he has not been arrested yet.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2016.