Sifting through murky details: Police confiscate four luxury vehicles of Don Golo

A joint investigation team, including officers of NAB and FIA, has been formed .

SUKKUR:

A joint investigation team, comprising officers of the National Accountability Bureau, Federal Intelligence Agecny and the police, has been formed to ensure transparency in the investigations against Amanat Ali aka Don Golo.

The Don, whose claim to fame was doubling people’s money within a month, was arrested by the police after his clients demanded their investments back. Religious and political parties also raised objections to his business, calling it “illegal” and “un-Islamic”.

The Ghotki SSP Abdul Salam Shaikh told The Express Tribune that he had written a letter to the home department for forming a joint investigation team and in response, a three-member team, comprising NAB assistant director, FIA assistant director and one police officer, was formed. The investigations will begin from Monday. The SSP added that he thought it would be best to have a joint investigation team look after the matter as people had already accused the police of being involved with Don Golo.

According to the SSP, the police have confiscated four luxury vehicles, approximately worth Rs10 million, from Don Golo’s house. “Golo has also indicated that he has properties in Daharki and Islamabad and we have written to the authorities to seal those properties,” said SSP Salam, adding that Golo also revealed names of people involved in his business who will be included in the investigation.

Since Golo’s clients do not have any proper receipts confirming their payments, the police was also having a difficult time ascertaining who was entitled to how much amount.

“As the NAB and FIA have more experience in dealing with such cases, they have been involved in the investigation. We have also formed a committee of the affected persons to scrutinise the authenticity of those who claimed they were clients.”

Don Golo’s story

Through informed sources, The Express Tribune has learnt that Don Golo used to work as a guard in Engro Chemical Company and earned Rs200 daily. His father used to run a small cabin of cigarettes and his elder brother Zulfiqar Golo was a retired employee of Fauji Fertilizer Company.

A year ago when Golo’s daughter reportedly fell ill, he borrowed Rs1,000 from a Hindu trader on heavy interest. Sources said that after taking loan, Golo started the business of doubling money from his village. He initially took Rs500 and Rs1,000 from women in the village and gave them double the amount after one month. His popularity soon spread throughout Ghotki and eventually reached other districts and provinces.

According to his clients, Don Golo was prompt with his payments for the first two months but then kept extending the dates.

Reports have also surfaced of Don Golo having links with sons of influential politicians in Punjab and business tycoons in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The family of Don Golo has reportedly shifted to an undisclosed location with Rs1 billion and other valuables.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2013.