March 10, 2002	Sunday	Zilhaj 25, 1422

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THATTA, March 9: Three former administrators and secretaries of some union councils have been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Establishment in Thatta on Thursday for their alleged involvement in gross misappropriation of over Rs20.76 million during their tenure.

Murad Channa, circle officer, ACE, told this correspondent that the action has been followed on registration of FIR Nos9/2001, 10/2001, and 11/2001 against M/s Khair Mohammed, son of Haji A. Bux Jhatyal, M. Bux, son of M. Qasim Khoso, and M. Iqbal, son of M. Usman Kandhro, respectively the administrator and secretaries of the union council Darya Khan Soho, union council Jhok Sharif, and union council Keenjhar.

The ACE source revealed that three secretaries enjoyed their routine turn for different tenures through political backing and allegedly usurped millions of rupees causing heavy losses to the public money through fraudulent maintenance of official records, which is partially untraceable now.

He said that the three union councils had been high revenue generating bodies since a decade having an income of over Rs5,000,000 each per annum.

He said that the secretaries by showing fictitious payments of non-existing school buildings, bridges, and other development schemes particularly the “katcha tracks” and supply of hand pumps in their jurisdiction pocketed lacs of rupees.

Khair M. Jhatyal, who remained secretary and then administrator of the union council Jhok Sharif in 1991, and Darya Khan Soho from 1993-1997 employed his nephews and other close relatives in the autonomous body on his own, during the ban on services and violated the rules.

He recruited a total number of 54 employees under fake names and continued drawing salaries from the union council funds.

He was arrested in 1992 by the ACE but was let off on greasing the palm and using the influence of one of his relatives who was serving in the ACE, Thatta, in those days.

He allegedly multiplied his worth by constructing a shopping centre in Kotri and a fish farm spreading over 300 acres in Jati Taluka.