Misusing authority: More Polyclinic officers arrested on corruption charges

Only 23 out of the 102 selected candidates met with the prescribed criteria, says FIA

ISLAMABAD: At least two officers of Federal Government Services Hospital (Polyclinic) have been arrested by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on charges of misusing their authority and favoritism while hiring hospital staff.

Polyclinic Deputy Executive Director Dr Iftikhar Ahmed Naru and Admin Officer Muhammad Arshad were arrested on Friday and given into FIA custody by a judicial magistrate for three days.

In an FIR registered against them, Dr Naru issued appointment letters to 102 candidates against a total of 68 posts of junior technicians at the hospital. The FIR states that 34 appointments were made “fraudulently”, with “concealment of facts” and “malafide motive”.

FIA officials said the letters of appointments were prepared by Arshad and signed by Dr Naru “knowing fully well that only 68 posts were available”.

According to the FIA investigation, only favourites were hired while formalities for recruitment were left incomplete. The officials said, only 23 out of the 102 selected candidates met with the prescribed criteria.

The suspects have been charged with fraud, forgery and criminal misconduct.

Khalid Salahuddin, the investigation officer in the case, produced the suspects before Judicial Magistrate Abdul Ghafoor Kakar on Saturday and pleaded for four days physical remand to question the suspects.

The court, however, allowed three days remand of the suspects and directed FIA officials to produce the suspects before the court on September 27.

Dr Naru and four other doctors of the hospital, as well as a section officer of the CADD are already in jail on corruption charges. Their bail pleas were rejected by a special court on September 22.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2016.