DERA GHAZI KHAN, May 14: The District Consumer Court has issued warrants for the arrest of the excise and taxation officer for not registering a motorcycle despite court order.

Registrar Syed Makhdoom Husain told this correspondent that an applicant, Khwaja Asif, informed the court that ETO Shafi Muhammad Gashkori did not issue him registration documents even five months after he made payment of dues.

The court summoned the ETO, but he did not turn up. Judge Ali Dastageer Syed has issued a notice to the official under Section 32(2) of the Punjab Protection Act and also issued warrants for his arrest.

Dawn learnt that more than 600 registration forms of motorbikes, cars, tractors, trucks and wagons have gone missing from the department which is now trying to sweep the issue under the carpet. An inquiry into alleged embezzlement of millions of rupees is already under way.

Sources told Dawn that a clerk was being nominated in the case and he died one month ago amid uproar of inquiry.

Scores of consumers have been visiting the ETO office, but the officials issue them a next date every time they visit.

Inayat Piyara, a resident of Taunsa Sharif, said he had paid the fee and submitted the form six months ago to get documents for his tractor, but he had yet to get his vehicle registered. Despite several visits to the ETO office, he said, no documents had been issued to him.

The ETO, however, denied any scandal in the department.