MULTAN: The NAB arrested an accountant of the Vehari district account office for his alleged involvement in the embezzlement of Rs550 million.

According to an official handout, the NAB is investigating an embezzlement case against former DPOs, sub-DPOs, DSPs, junior officers, district accounts officer.

“Initially the audit department has identified that officers of the Vehari police department and the district accounts office are jointly involved in embezzlement of funds between 2008 and 2013,” it stated.

The suspects in connivance with each other misappropriated huge funds by forging pay and allowances, arrears of pay, fuel and oil, electricity bills, telephone, rent bills, procurement, and irregular preparation of system-based transfer entries.

It said that accountant Shahid Ali was one of suspects who plotted the whole scheme in connivance with senior police officers, officers of district accounts office and officials of both departments.

“It transpired during an inquiry that DPOs posted during 2008 to 2013 signed all relevant documents without taking any clarification or check.

The AIG (Finance) office also failed to maintain check and balances. The bills were passed merely on the basis of number of sanctioned/held posts and all illegal payments were made in the name of drawing and disbursing officers instead of agency/vendor/officers, it concluded.

Published in Dawn January 21st, 2017