FAISALABAD: An embezzlement of millions of rupees allegedly committed by the Jaranwala tehsildar, naib tehsildar and another official by selling hundreds of trees and wheat and cotton yield has been detected.
A law-enforcement agency (LEA) conducted the inquiry and found evidence of corruption. It proposed constitution of a committee on April 30 last to further probe the case but Jaranwala Assistant Commissioner Aamir Shahzad instead got registered a case (on May 13) against Sarwar who had acquired the land in question on ‘superdari’.
Mr Shahzad, while denying the contents of the agency report, told Dawn that it lacked his department’s version and the matter was unfairly investigated. He said patwari Shabbir Jutt had been suspended from service and fine had been imposed on the violator. The land had been retrieved, he said while denying any of his subordinates was involved in corruption.
Sources told Dawn that an investigation had been initiated by a LEA on the complaints that Jaranwala revenue officials had sold trees and crops, causing loss of millions to the national kitty.
It transpired that on Aug 11, 2011, Ghulam Muhammad of Chak 105-GB (Jaranwala) was expropriated from his land -- 348 kanal and four marla -- on the orders of the then additional commissioner. The land had crops of rice on 14 kanal, sugarcane (five kanal) and American cotton (26 kanal).
The land was handed over on ‘superdari’ to Muhammad Sarwar, lumberdar of Chak 105-GB, on stipulation/condition that he would look after the standing Kharif crop till its yield and then intimate the higher-ups for auction.
The report mentioned Sarwar and caretaker of the leased state land, in connivance with Jaranwala’s assistant commissioner, tehsildar, naib tehsildar and other officials of the revenue department, appropriated the yield of lucrative crops and dealt a blow to the government.
The inquiry report said the land had 400 flourished and shady trees which were cut down by Sarwar, tehsildar Yahya, naib tehsildar Mohammad Yousaf, qanogoh Mian Akram with active support by AC Amir Shahzad. The trees were sold without permission and in violation of law.
On April 27 last, these officials along with Sarwar harvested the wheat crop and distributed 600 maunds of it among themselves. This act caused a loss of Rs720,000 to the government. Thirty acres have been set aside for further harvesting.
The report mentioned that a number of Chak dwellers had submitted applications to the higher-ups to draw their attention towards the issue but to no avail.
Sources said the agency officials expected of a committee to get back the public money but the AC got registered a case against Sarwar with the Saddar police station on May 13. It was mentioned in the FIR that ‘crime’ had taken place on 11 Aug, 2011.
In the application submitted with the police, the AC said Sarwar had sold crops and trees from the leased land without permission of authorities. He said the state land measuring 348 kanal was resumed in favour of state on Aug 11, 2011 in compliance with an order of additional commissioner (revenue).
He said Mohammad Asif of the same Chak had submitted a complaint to the DCO, stating that Sarwar had sold out the standing crops and cultivated the land without any authority. The same man had also removed 400 trees from the land without seeking permission.
The AC said the complaint had been forwarded to him on April 9 and a revenue officer deputed to inquire into the matter.
Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2014
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