FAISALABAD, Aug 11: The local executive district officer (finance and budget) has unearthed an appropriation of Rs5.28 million in the benevolent fund, including grants for marriage, funeral, women, children and education, being maintained at the defunct deputy commissioner’s office.

Dawn learnt on Sunday that scores of people had complained to District Coordination Officer Tahir Husain and other officials that they were not being granted funds for marriage, funeral, children and other grants allowed by the provincial government.

They alleged the staff concerned had, in connivance with the district Nazim and other functionaries, appropriated huge amount in the funds.

Subsequently, the DCO ordered preliminary inquiry into the matter and deputed the EDO (F&B) an inquiry officer. The EDO in his report observed that a number of cheques issued by the district Nazim’s offices were spurious and entries in the cash book for the distribution of huge amounts among the applicants from March 1, 1999 to May 5, 2001 fictitious.

The EDO also observed that the record provided by the ex-commissioner’s dealing clerk proved that the bank statements showed a balance of Rs1,263,843 on March 29, 2002 in the account of marriage grant and Rs910,217 in the account of scholarship for education.

On verification from the National Bank of Pakistan, Civil Lines Branch, it transpired that the balance of the marriage grant was only Rs150,843 on Jan 3, 2002, of funeral grant was Rs19,621 on Jan 16, 2002, and the balance of the educational scholarship grant was Rs26,917 on Jan 22, 2002.

During scrutiny of cheque books, the inquiry officer observed that some 43 cheques worth Rs7,000 each (total of Rs301,000), four cheques worth Rs10,000 each (total of Rs40,000) and a cheque of Rs10,500 had been issued under the marriage and educational scholarships grants, respectively, beyond entitlement. Thus, some 48 cheques worth Rs351,500 had been issued beyond entitlement, he observed.

The inquiry officer also found that cheque books maintained for the educational scholarship grant (Account No 175-7) contained 308 cheques signed reportedly by the then additional deputy commissioner (general), had been lying undelivered in the cheque books. A few cheques contained dates while a few were without any date, he observed.

Similarly in the funeral grant, the officer observed that some 76 cheques signed by the former ADC(G), but undelivered, were also found in the cheque books. In the marriage grant, 35 cheques signed by the ADC(G) were found undelivered in the cheque books.

The inquiry officer pointed out that two clerks of the Nazim’s office, Imtiaz Anwar and Faisal Nazir, in their statements confessed to have been receiving cheque books without requisition slip of the bank and said they had not maintained any cash book.

District Nazir (clerk) Allah Ditta Shah and Assistant District Nazir Abdul Sattar also confessed that fictitious bank statements were obtained and produced by junior clerk Liaquat Ali who, they said, had absconded from the duty.

The inquiry officer declared Liaquat Ali the prime accused in the scam and suggested registration of a case by the Anti-Corruption Establish-ment.

On completion of the inquiry, the DCO asked the local anti-corruption establishment to inquire into the matter and register a case.

Police had already registered a case under sections 409, 420, 468 and 471 PPC and 5/2/47 PCA with no arrest so far.