Daily Times

KARACHI: An accountability court on Saturday gave a 14-day physical remand of the former Hyderabad additional district accounts officer (ADAO).

Mushtaq Ahmed Shaikh was arrested by a special investigation team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The arrest was made on the basis of interrogation of accused persons in NAB’s custody namely Muhammad Yousuf (ex-head constable) and his son Arif Yousuf (police constable) arrested on 25 and 26 February.

Shaikh’s residence, farmhouse and wedding hall were searched in Hala District Matiari.

Several properties worth over Rs 1 billion were found to be in possession of the accused person that have been acquired and accumulated from proceeds of offences of corruption and embezzlement of government funds, held in his own name and in the names of his close relatives and benamidars.

Following properties along with original treasury bills (equivalent to financial instruments/cash) worth Rs 1 billion have also been recovered, that the accused was about to send for clearing process, have been recovered and seized: (a) cash Rs 17.3 million including prize bonds; (b) cash Saudi Riyals 37016; (c) gold ornaments – 3Kg (approx.); (d) vehicles: ownership documents of 9 vehicles held.

Shaikh and Yousuf Khanzada are already facing trial in Reference No. 27/2016 filed on 10 December 2016 along with Ayaz Ahmed Abro, former accountant, Ahsanullah Abro, former sub-accountant District Accounts Office Hyderabad and Abu Bakar, former head constable Hyderabad.

The case pertains to embezzlement of huge government funds due to misuse of authority on the part of said accused persons who also entered in voluntary return (VR) under Section 25(a) of National Accountability Ordinance 1999 and voluntarily agreed to return entire misappropriated amount.

However, the accused returned Rs 97 million between 2012 and 2013. However, on their failure to deposit entire amount to the national exchequer, they were sent up for trial as accused in the reference.

The said investigation/reference, however, led to other clues when available evidence related to treasury was further processed and trail was followed. Money trail led to Shaikh.

The preliminary interrogation has revealed that while the accused person was in service, he misused his authority by fraudulently preparing bogus bills, as well as, mixing some bogus bills in lot of genuine bills, in favor of bogus beneficiaries under the heads of difference bills, pension, GP fund, salaries and allowances and got them processed and cleared through various bank accounts opened in connivance with various bankers.

The accused has remained linchpin in an organised crime and process of money laundering; and has been operating a large gang consisting of private persons and incumbents of various district accounts offices who have been jointly and severally in connivance with each other, getting bogus payments cleared and subsequently cash withdrawn.

NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry has praised the NAB DG and special team headed by Zafar Iqbal and Adnan Abbas.