Punishment: MNA’s son among 8 convicted of fraud

They had forged refund vouchers in connivance with bank managers

FAISALABAD: A special judge on Saturday convicted eight people, including a son of a National Assembly member, of stealing through fake vouchers.

Federal Investigation Agency Assistant Director Chaudhary Abdul Hafeez told the court that the accused had forged refund vouchers with the help of bank managers and employees of the Revenue Department.

He said they had made 44 fake vouchers and had them authenticated from Revenue Department.

He said they had made Rs10 million this way. He said the fraud came to light during an audit.

Iftikhar Ahmad Ansari, son of MNA Haji Muhammad Akram Ansari, Income Tax Officer Muhammad Anwar Naz, Supervisor Muhammad Ashraf, Income Tax Inspector Aslam and bank managers Faisal Lateef, Muhammad Akram, Abdur Rehman Shehzad and Muhammad Nadeem had been nominated in the complaint moved with the FIA.

Prosecution said the accused had fabricated documents and stolen money from the government.

The court sentenced Ansari to 15 years in prison and awarded a total of 516 years imprisonment to Naz and Ashraf.

A total of 500 years imprisonment was awarded to Aslam and 234 years to Latif, 30 years to Muhammad Akram, 12 years to Shehzad and 18 years to Nadeem. The court directed the convicts to pay Rs8.6 million in fines.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2015.