NAB names FC commandant, former IGP Malik Naveed, former CM’s brother, others of corruption . PHOTO: AFP/FILE
After arresting five people over the course of its investigation of a weapons procurement scam, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) has at last filed a Rs2.03 billion reference against former IGP Malik Naveed and nine others.
On Tuesday, NAB Investigation Officer Inspector Inayat Khan filed a complete reference in the court of administrative judge of the accountability court, Ibrahim Khan, naming all those accused of being involved in the scam.
The reference which was approved last week by NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, states that out of the Rs7 billion contract for purchasing weapons and other equipment for K-P police department in 2008-2010, Rs2.03 billion was misappropriated.
Apart from the former police chief, the big names accused by the NAB include Frontier Constabulary (FC) Commandant Abdul Majeed Khan, former additional IGP Operations Abdul Latif Khan, Central Police Office (CPO) DIG Sajid Ali Khan, ex-DIG Headquarters Muhammad Suleman Khan, former budget officer of the police department Javed Khan, former CPO Establishment AIG Kashif Alam, former Telecommunications DIG Sadiq Kamal Orakzai, as well as Raza Ali Khan, a relative of former chief minister Amir Haider Hoti and Hoti’s brother Amir Ghazan Hoti.
A statement issued by NAB states, “On the receipt of complaints, NAB K-P authorised an inquiry against senior police officers and others for alleged embezzlement in procurement of submachine guns (SMG), magazines, ammunition, heavy weapons, bulletproof jackets, night vision goggles, etc in 2008-2009 and 2009-2010, by violating government rules, thus causing a loss of Rs2.03 billion to the state exchequer.”
It further adds that on the request of the provincial police department, the government had approved the purchase, upgrading of weapons and equipment for its use to counter the deteriorating law and order in K-P. Therefore, Rs7 billion was released by the federal and provincial governments for recruitment, training of police personnel and procurement of weapons and equipment.
During the course of inquiry, NAB discovered that the contract for the weapons was awarded to a firm which had no previous experience of supplying such items and payments were made in advance. “It was revealed that the contractor in connivance with other accused persons was controlling the entire process of competition of bids to get the contract,” read the NAB statement.
Since the reference has been filed, the relevant judge will now issue summons to the accused, individually or all together, to clarify their positions.
The course of investigation
Budget officer Javed Khan and contractor Arshad Majeed were arrested last year. Under the voluntary return system, Khan paid back Rs42 million, while Majeed returned Rs102 million and also became an approver in the case.
On November 20, 2013, NAB arrested former IGP Malik Naveed and kept him in custody for 56 days. He was later sent to the Central Prison Peshawar by the court.
Later, on January 6, NAB arrested Raza Ali Khan, brother-in-law of Ghazan Hoti, and Niaz Ali Shah, a former adviser to the then CM. Niaz paid Rs20 million voluntarily and was released, however, Raza is still in prison.
According to NAB, Malik Naveed earlier offered to pay Rs40 million and then increased it to Rs80 million but the bureau turned down his offer as he is considered the primary accused in the case.
Raza Ali Khan is accused of taking Rs195 million for Ghazan Hoti and Rs3 million for himself as kickbacks to remove all hurdles in the awarding of the contract.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 19th, 2014.
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