PESHAWAR, Nov 3: The National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakht-unkhwa chapter, has recovered Rs190 million in two cases of embezzlement.

The money was recovered through voluntary return (VR) and plea bargain (PB) in cases relating to state vs Mansehra Development Authority (MDA) and state vs Haji Gul Sher, of Khyber Agency.

The inquiry into the illegal allotment of plots in Ghazikot Township Mansehra by the officials of MDA was authorised in May, 2009 on the direction of Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Consequently, NAB not only conducted intrusive inquiry but also charged the perpetrators of corruption and a draft reference was forwarded to NAB HQ Islamabad.

According to a statement issued from NAB office here on Thursday the illegal plot holders were given voluntary and plea bargain notices under section 25(a) and (b) of National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.  This enabled NAB to recover looted money of more than Rs150 million in this particular case.

In another case of state vs Haji Gul Sher, ex-senator, NAB succeeded to recover a total of Rs40.630 million.

The provincial government had acquired land for construction of northern portion of Ring Road to reduce traffic congestion in the main city of Peshawar from Haji Juma Sher and Haji Khatum Gul, who received Rs35.693 million and Rs32.802 million, respectively.

It was reported that the then chief minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpoo, minister local government Habibullah Kundi and others allowed exorbitant rates per marla to give undue benefits to the influential landowners. —Bureau Report