RDA claws back Rs3.5b in scam
A major development has been made in the Rawalpindi Development Authority's (RDA) mega financial scandal, with the authority recovering more than Rs3.5 billion from those held responsible through plea bargains, Call Deposit Receipts (CDRs) and properties in collaboration with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
However, the fact-finding inquiry committee formed by the Punjab Chief Secretary has yet to make its report public even after one year.
According to sources, the financial scandal involved the transfer of Rs1.94 billion from the RDA account to various companies and individuals through CDRs, while embezzlement of millions of rupees from security deposit accounts also came to light.
During the investigation, former RDA Deputy Director Finance and then Director General of the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Sialkot, Junaid Taj, allegedly committed suicide in his office on May 13, 2025. His family termed the death a suspicious murder and got an FIR registered in Sialkot.
The recoveries made through NAB include 84 CDRs worth Rs1.291 billion that had not been encashed. These have been consolidated into a single CDR of Rs1.291 billion and transferred to the RDA's official bank account.
Raja Arsalan, driver of the late deputy director finance, and RDA stenographer Raja Jehangir, whose accounts had received transferred funds, entered into plea bargains worth Rs129 million.
The amount has been deposited with the court and will be transferred to the RDA account after issuance of the relevant order.
Furthermore, 8 kanals and 4 marlas of land owned by Zia Ahmed Majeed, father-in-law of Afzal Ahmed, whose company had received RDA funds, has been transferred to RDA. Another 18 kanals and 8 marlas of land owned by Zaka Ahmed Majeed, brother of Zia Ahmed Majeed, has also been surrendered to the authority.
In addition, 31 properties belonging to individuals whose accounts received transferred funds, estimated to be worth Rs2.3 billion, have been frozen and placed under receivership.
Meanwhile, RDA has constituted a separate fact-finding committee after alleged embezzlement of millions of rupees from contractors' security deposit accounts and the unavailability of relevant records.