JHANG, Dec 11: A local court has directed the Anti-Corruption Establishment to conduct an inquiry into allegations levelled against a buildings official in a petition filed by the citizens community board, union council 76, Pirkot Sadhana. Petitioner Mr Fazal Abbas Sadhana advocate, the chairman of the CCB, has accused the DO (buildings) of demanding illegal gratification for approving estimates of two uplift schemes passed by the CCB to be built on the basis of matching grants.

According to the petition, the CCB, Pirkot Sadhana, which works voluntarily, passed two schemes for the construction of buildings to house dispensaries at villages Tahli Gadanwali and Basti Pathan.

The estimates of the two schemes were sent to the office of DO Azam Anjum through district planning officer for his final approval. The CCB had sent an estimate of Rs720,000 to be spent on the construction of each dispensary.

The petitioner claims to have paid several visits to the office of the DO for the approval of the schemes, but they all resulted in futility as the official refused to see him on one pretext or the other.

When the petitioner succeeded in seeing the officer along with two other members of the board, the DO allegedly demanded three per cent of the estimated amount as ‘commission’.

When the DO was told that the members of the CCB were volunteers and were not in a position to fulfil his demand, he first refused to approve the schemes but later on approved them after slashing Rs140,000 from each scheme, rendering it practically impossible for the CCB to commence work.

The petitioner approached the ACE for the registration of a case, but his application was pushed under the carpet. This prompted him to file a writ petition in the court of district and sessions judge to seek relief.

The petition was marked to an additional sessions judge who asked Jhang ACE deputy director to initiate probe.—Correspondent