Heads roll over motorway funds scam

Matiari's DC arrested, committee formed to probe mega corruption scandal

HYDERABAD:

Heads began to roll after complaints of corruption surfaced in the funds released for the construction of Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6) in district Matiari.

After unearthing a mega corruption of Rs2.14 billion in the land acquisition for M6 Sukkur- Hyderabad Motorway, the Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has arrested deputy commissioner Matiari district Adnan Rashid.

The Anti-Corruption court on Wednesday evening granted three-day physical remand of Rashid in whose account the National Highway Authority had transferred Rs4.0926 billion for the purpose of buying land for construction of the motorway.

The ACE, however, could not arrest assistant commissioner New Saeedabad taluka, Mansoor Abbassi, who was appointed as the land acquisition officer, and an official of the Sindh Bank.

The team rounded up a staff of the DC's office while also seizing the material evidence and documents.

The Sindh Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput formed an inquiry committee on November 13 headed by additional finance secretary Shahmeer Bhutto and chairman Sindh Public Service Commission Nazeer Ahmed Qureshi.

The inquiry was started after the chief secretary Sohail Rajput received reports about misappropriation of Rs1.82 billion from the NHA's funds which had increased from Rs4.09 billion to Rs4.63 billion over a period of time due to interest payments.

The inquiry committee found out that a sum of Rs2.14 billion was released in a bogus way through 438 cheques.

In the light of that report Sindh chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed the chief secretary to immediately take action against the officers allegedly involved in the scam.

The DC was removed from his post and transferred to the services and general administration while the assistant commissioner was suspended.

On Wednesday the team of ACE rounded up the DC from his official residence in Matiari district.

He was produced before the court without shackles though two policemen were seen grabbing him by arms.

Earlier an FIR was lodged nominating the DC Rashid, AC Abbassi and assistant manager Sindh Bank in Matiari district, Tabish Shah, on the complaint of an ACE official Irfan Ali in Hyderabad.

According to the FIR, which was based on the inquiry committee's fact finding report, a sum of Rs4.6348 billion was in the DC's NHA related account till October 12, 2022.

The amount included Rs542.189 million profit over the deposit which was given by the bank.

However, in connivance with the bank official, the revenue official got released Rs2.14 billion through 438 cheques in a span of 26 days from October 17 to November 13.

The procedures laid down in the law for acquisition vof the land was not followed.

Meanwhile, the DC Shaheed Benazirabad Shaharyar Gul Memon on Thursday assumed the charge of acting DC Matiari.

On Thursday evening an employee of DC office Matiari, Kamran Ali, was also detained by ACE for a probe.

The official sources claimed that a politically influential family is also likely to be made a part of the investigation.