Court sends former excise DG on physical remand

During proceedings, prosecutors claim suspect issued licence by misusing authority

LAHORE:

An accountability court on Friday handed over former Lahore Excise and Taxation (E&T) Department Director General (DG) Akram Ashraf Gondal to Lahore National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in illegal liquor licence issuance case.

During the proceedings, NAB prosecutors said that the accused persons issued the licence while allegedly misusing the authority. The duration of the normal procedure of issuance of licence was up to two months. However, the accused issued the licence within 15 days though the hotel was under construction.

The prosecutor asked for the reason behind this expediting of the procedure.

The former DG defended his move for issuance the licence stating that the DG had the authority to do so. Nine licences earlier had been issued. He stated that licence is issued through a procedure involving technical committee.

He further said that the departments took such steps, issuance of licences, and the summary was sent to Punjab chief minister’s office.

He also asserted that he had forwarded the summary thrice to the CM’s office and principal secretary to the chief minister had sent it back.

Afterwards, the licence was issued according to law, he said. He asked NAB to present what wrong he had committed in this regard.

LAHORE NAB had arrested the former E&T DG over allegations of corruption and misuse of authority in reference to the issuance of the ‘illegal’ liquor licence to a private hotel.

The accountability bureau alleged the accused DG had misused his authority and illegally granted L-2 category licence to the said hotel, whereas, the hotel was not even eligible for securing a liquor licence.

Reportedly, the said hotel had not obtained 4/5 star ratings which was a necessary condition for obtaining the L-2 category licence. The L-2 category licence was granted to aforesaid hotel without firstly obtaining 4/5 star rating certificate from Punjab Tourist Services Department.

Moreover, the former DG did not follow other necessary procedures and codal formalities for issuance of liquor licence which had been mandatory according to the law and prescribed policy.

The accused also managed to obtain no objection certificates (NOC) from different departments through his co-accused ETO who issued letters for having NOCs regarding giving L-2 category licence to facilitate the private hotel.

It has also been disclosed that during inquiry proceedings that the accused technically maneuvered the whole process to grant L-2 category liquor licence to said hotel without its eligibility.

Lahore NAB officials after having sufficient evidence against the former E&T DG arrested him. Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar had also been summoned by the accountability bureau in the case. He had appeared before Combined Investigations Team (CIT) in the case.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2020.