The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on Monday rounded up assistant commissioner Mansoor Abbassi, posted in Matiari district, and Sindh Bank Assistant Manager Tabish Shah, who were eluding arrest in the Rs2.14 billion land acquisition scam.
Both the accused, nominated in the FIR of alleged corruption in the release of funds meant for purchase of land for the motorway, besides former deputy commissioner Matiari Adnan Rashid, were apprehended after denial of their bail extension plea.
The arrest was made a day after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested three employees of Sindh Bank from Noushehro Feroze district where an identical scam surfaced/ District DC and other officers being considered prime suspects of the embezzlement.
The FIA picked bank's staff including branch manager Mukhtiar Ali Chandio, operations manager Atta Hussain Sahito and cash officer Zeeshan Ali Larik.
An official of the NHA, Parkash Lohano, earlier lodged an FIR under Sections 409, 419 420, 468, 471, 477-A, and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) read with Section 5(2) Act-II, 1947 PCA in Noushehro Feroze.
The accused have been charged with Rs3.168 billion fraud.
Meanwhile, there are reports that a team of ACE raided the residence of AC Abbassi in Matiari and recovered cash.
DC Matiari was the first arrested on November 16 from Matiari, following which some other staff members of his office and residence were also picked up for interrogation.
Both the DCs of Matiari and Noushero Feroze and their subordinates have been involved in fraud as per the inquiries conducted by a committee formed by Sindh Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput.
The former facilitated the release of Rs2.14 billion funds for the purchase of land through 438 cheques and the latter Rs3.618 billion through 853 cheques, violating the rules laid down in the law.
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