ISLAMABAD, July 26: A Rawalpindi accountability court on Tuesday sentenced a contractor and a co-accused to seven years rigorous imprisonment each for causing a loss of Rs3.6 million to the railways.

The accountability court No.1 also imposed a fine of Rs1.7 million on Shahzad Raza Naqvi, owner of two supply firms, namely Combra International and FOP Associates. In case of default, the convict will have to undergo imprisonment of three years more.

The co-accused, Muhammad Shafique of 666 International, Rawalpindi, was also given seven years RI with a fine of Rs0.9m.

In case of default, he will have to remain two years more in jail.

The court also declared another co-accused, Mushahid Raza Zaidi of H. Khalil International, proclaimed offender after proceedings against him in absentia.

The PR’s purchase committee members — divisional accounts officer (DAO) Muhammad Aslam, Muhammad Fayyaz Khan, Divisional Transportation Officer Khalid Mehmood and former Divisional Superintendent Ziaul Qamar — arrested for approving the contract on exorbitant rates, opted for plea bargain by depositing the embezzled amount in the government treasury. These officers caused a loss of Rs3.6 million to the railways for approving the contract to the bogus contractor without re-assessment of requirement, proportionate stock level and verification of reasonability of rates from the market.