Caught at last: Former TMO, clerk held for ‘misappropriating’ govt funds

Nizamudin Shahani and his clerk arrested on charges of misappropriating Rs45 million.

KARACHI:

The anti-corruption police have arrested a former taluka municipal officer (TMO) of Samaro Town in Umerkot district, Nizamudin Shahani, and his clerk on the charges of misappropriation of Rs45 million.

The director of anti-corruption cell in Sindh, Ghulam Hussain Memon, informed the media on Wednesday that an FIR no.GO-3/2013 has been registered regarding the misappropriation of Rs450,000,007 of government funds against the former TMO and others.

Giving details, he said that a complaint was received regarding the misuse of funds allocated for the repairs and maintenance of the town municipal administration (TMA) vehicles, causing heavy financial loss to other government expenditures. He said that during the enquiry, Siraj Ahmed, the clerk of TMO Shahani, pointed out that Shahani had allegedly drawn Rs7 million cash from Sindh Bank, Kunri, through clerk Dilip Kumar and another officer, who signed the checks. During the course of enquiry, it was revealed that the Shahani had drawn Rs4,50,00,000 from TMA account no.1395-5 and deposited the same amount in account no.05113 of National Bank of Pakistan Samaro Branch owned by Aslam Solangi, a personal friend of the TMO.

The transactions occurred between August 1, 2011 and January 16 this year, said Memon, adding that the role of other officers, staff of National Bank and Sindh Bank, and audit officers would be determined during the course of investigation.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2013.