Embezzlement of funds: Elite Police suspends four officers, seeks audit report

LAHORE:

The Elite Police on Sunday abolished the post of naqdi moharrar (cashier), suspended four officials over an alleged embezzlement of Rs5.5 million and ordered an audit of development work at the Elite Police Training Centre in Bedian.

The orders were issued by Qalb-i-Abbas, the Elite Police additional inspector general.

Earlier, the Add IG had sought details of the funds used for the construction of a boundary wall around Bedian Centre for security.

The AdIG suspended the naqdi moharrar Shaukat Ali of the accounts branch, mess in charge Sub Inspector Shaukat, and his workers Waheed and Irfan and ordered an inquiry against them following their failure to submit the report. He also ordered an audit of the funds used for the construction of the boundary wall. Police said that the accused had told the inquiry officers that they did not know anything about the money and that their predecessors may have been involved in the embezzlement.

Sources said that on Friday, DSP Hassan Danial summoned Shaukat to his office to question him about the alleged misappropriation. Instead of appearing before the DSP, he ran away from the centre, police said. SSP (Administration) Jahanzeb Nazir then called the DSP and the SHO concerned and informed them about Shaukat.

Col Saad Saleem, the new commandant of the centre, has ordered an audit of the expenses incurred during the former commandant Col Ikramul Haq’s tenure.

Out of the Rs5.5 million in question; Rs1 million pertains to the Welfare Fund. Ali said that the amount was released with the approval of the former commandant. He, however, said that he did not know about the details of the spending.

The remaining amount, Rs4.5 million, was the security deposit by 1,800 police personnel of the Elite Basic Course 13. Each officer had submitted Rs2,500 as mess security, which had not been returned three months after the completion of the course.

Col Saleem said that the case was being handled by SSP Nazir. SSP Nazir said that it was too early to say anything.

He said the release of security deposit was delayed pending a decision on whether to return the money through cheques or cash. “It has been decided now that the money will soon be returned through cheques.” SHO Naveed Ahsan Malik of Burki police station said that no FIR had been registered with him. The administration is holding a departmental inquiry, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2011.