Rs340m corruption unearthed in finance dept

NAB, FIA, ACE swing into action

KARACHI:

A corruption of Rs340 million in the Sindh Finance Department has come to the light.

In a departmental action, a dozen officers have been dismissed from their jobs, while many others have been suspended and a report has been called for at the head office, sources in the Sindh Finance Department told The Express Tribune on Friday.

Initial investigation has proved the misappropriation of funds on the basis of which a disciplinary action has been initiated against the officers concerned. Embezzlement of funds has been unearthed in district finance offices of Jacobabad and Kashmore on which the Sindh Finance Department has taken a strict notice.

Also read Probe into misappropriation of Rs40m fund ordered

An inquiry has been initiated against Grade 17 officer Janak Raja of finance office Kashmore-Kandhkot, and Zulqarnain Shah, sub-accountant of finance office Jacobabad for their alleged involvement in embezzlement of Rs340 million as well as incompetence and neglect of duty.

A two-member committee comprising Sindh Finance Department DG Iqbal Sheikh and District Finance Officer Sukkur Huzoor Bakhsh Memon was formed. In the initial investigation of the committee, corruption has been proved and action has been initiated against the officers involved under Sindh Civil Servants Rules.

NAB, FIA and Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) are investigating the matter, sources said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2023.