No small change...: Former IGP Malik Naveed arrested in Rs7b scandal

Arrest made over his alleged involvement in a weapon scandal worth billions of rupees.

PESHAWAR:

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) took former IGP Malik Naveed into custody on Wednesday over his alleged involvement in a weapon scandal worth billions of rupees.

The arrested former official will be produced before an accountability court today (Thursday) for physical remand. NAB had authorised an inquiry against the accused and others for alleged embezzlement in the procurement of weapons, equipment and vehicles in 2008.

On a request made by the police department, the K-P government had approved the purchase and upgrade of weapons and equipment for its use to counter deteriorating law and order and security in the province. Over Rs7 billion was released by the government for said procurement in October 2008.

Investigation brought to light “the gross violation of procurement rules by the purchase committee in awarding tenders to favourite contractors who had no previous experience of supplying such items and for which payment was made in advance

Earlier [in February] NAB had arrested budget officer Javed Khan and the supplier Arshad Majeed in the same case,” read the statement issued by NAB.

NAB Deputy Director Media Imdadullah told The Express Tribune that Malik Naveed was acquitted in the recruitment case dating to his days as commandant Frontier Constabulary. However, the inquiry of embezzlement in the purchase of weapons during his tenure as IGP continued, added Imadadullah.

“We have recovered Rs42 million from budget officer Khalid Khan; contractor Arshad Majeed gave more than Rs100 million in this case. We are going to make a reference against Malik Naveed after he is produced before the court.”

The accusation shortlist

While recording his statement on June 7 with Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Ilyas Khan, Majeed confessed he had bribed former K-P police chief Malik Naveed, former K-P chief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti’s brother Ghazan and Hoti’s adviser Niaz Ali Shah.

On June 3, Central Police Office in charge warehouse Inspector Abdullah Jan stated the purchase of 18,000 AK-47s and 72,000 magazines was recorded for the time period of May 5 to May 20, 2009 but the arms were actually bought from China in August and September 2009.

Jan and other witnesses had claimed this was done by Majeed who produced the procurement bills and asked to be paid in advance.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2013.