Daily Times

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Sindh has recovered Rs80 million in the wheat scam. Food Supervisor in Larkana, Manthar Ali Noorani, who is facing corruption charges, on Saturday voluntarily returned Rs80 million to the ACE Sindh. Manthar stole 34,000 wheat sacks worth more than Rs80 million and was facing an inquiry.

Deputy Director Anti-Corruption Sindh, Tariq Chandio said that the accused submitted a cheque worth Rs80 million to the district food controller. He maintained though the accused has returned the embezzled funds, he will face legal action.

Earlier, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Sindh chapter had recovered more than Rs10 billion in wheat scandal under the inquiries opened against the provincial food department for the theft of wheat worth more than Rs15 billion.

A report released by NAB showed that nine inquiries were opened against Sindh Food Department in Sukkur as wheat worth more than Rs15 billion had been stolen in nine districts. The flour mill owners plea-bargained Rs2.112 billion during the NAB investigation, the report had said.

Earlier in January last, an accountability court in Sukkur indicted nine accused in the Sindh wheat scam. The case was taken up by AC Judge Farid Anwar Qazi. Deputy Director Rafique Rajpar, DFC Iqbal Pathan and other accused were indicted in the scam. However, the accused denied the charge-sheet and pleaded themselves as innocent.