Embezzlement: Man seeks case against PU, bank officials

Sessions judge directs FIA director to conduct inquiry

LAHORE: A man has gone to court against the administration of Punjab University, its accounting department employees and the staff of a private bank, accusing them of embezzling hundreds of thousands of rupees by transferring money to fake accounts.

In his petition in the district and sessions court, Ali Bux Bhatti alleged the suspects transferred money in the account of his late son, who was a PU employee in the accounting branch and died in road accident recently. He claimed the account was operated by his son but the title was in the name of someone else.

He contended the suspects forged entries in a list of university employees they prepared to send to the bank for transferring money to their accounts.

Bhatti stated his son was also pressured by some university employees to join them in the scam and also threatened him with death, sending him into depression before his death.

The case first transpired when the then PU vice-chancellor in 2011 ordered an inquiry against some officials and employees of the varsity, leading to the suspension of some staffers. Afterwards, the PU administration rather than taking the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for legal action recovered the money from an accused.

Bhatti claimed his son was then pressured by the suspects to confess to the offence and admit that he had been helping them.

“They offered to promote my son but he rejected all such moves,” the petitioner stated, requesting the court to direct the FIA director to register a case against the bank manager of university branch and other bank and PU officials in light of the inquiry report for transferring money illegally and also causing his son’s death.

The sessions judge has directed the FIA director to look into the matter, conduct an inquiry and to proceed further strictly in accordance with law within the stipulated time period.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2016.