GUJRANWALA: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) claimed on Tuesday to have arrested the main accused in a bank fraud case of Rs23.7 million.

FIA Deputy Director Sikandar Malik said the suspect, identified as Zahid Iqbal, had gone to Canada where he became friend with a Sikh couple, Darshan Singh and Kanwal, and convinced them to start a business in Gujranwala telling them it was a noted industrial zone.

The couple opened an account at the National Savings Bank Sheranwalabagh branch and deposited millions of rupees. Iqbal returned to the city and withdrew Rs23.7 million from the account with the alleged connivance of the bank manager and other staff members.

Later, Singh died and Kanwal found out the amount in their joint account had decreased. Upon investigation, she discovered Iqbal was behind it, flew in from Canada and got a case registered with the FIA. While agency had arrested bank manager Mazher Farooq and officers Azeem, Wasim and Umer Farooq, Iqbal had managed to escape.

On a tip-off that he was in Kamoki, a team led by inspectors Shahid Pervaiz and Waqar Awan conducted a raid and arrested him.

RALLY: Eunuchs staged a demonstration and took out a procession on Tuesday against alleged harassment by unidentified suspects and police. The rally led by the community’s city president, Imtiaz Hussain Shah, Akbar and Faiza, started from Amir Centre Plaza and culminated in Satellite Town.

They also protested outside the offices of district administration and city police officer and shouted slogans against the police. They met with City Police Officer (CPO) Waqas Nazir and told him they were performing at Abdullah Marriage Hall near Lohianwala Bypass intersection when six to seven armed men picked them up from there, took them to an undisclosed location and assaulted them besides cutting their hair and manhandling them. But, they added, police did not register a case against the suspects and instead misbehaved with them. They demanded they be provided protection and safety.

The CPO ordered Aroop police to register a case against the suspects and arrest them.

ARRESTED: Saddar Division police claimed to have arrested 24 members of five gangs of dacoits and robbers and seized a large quantity of looted goods and weapons from their possession.

Speaking at a press conference, Saddar Superintendent of Police (SP) Syed Karar Hussain said Altaf, Imtiaz, Munir, Tajo and Shajil were ring-leaders of their gangs and had committed more than 49 dacoities and robberies. Ghakkhar Mandi, Kamoki Saddar, Ahmadnagar, Alipur Chattha, Tetley and Kot Ladha police raided their hideouts and arrested them. He said 17 motorcycles, 19 mobile phones, gold jewellery, Rs500,000 in cash and 17 pistols with 12 rounds were recovered from their possession.

COMPENSATION: Provincial Minister for Labour and Manpower Raja Ashfaq Sarwar on Tuesday distributed compensation cheques of Rs5.4 million to heirs of the 18 workers who had died in stone-crushing factories due to suffocation and environment pollution a year ago.

Speaking at the ceremony, he said Punjab Workers Welfare Board would pay Rs500,000 and factory owners Rs200,000 to each family of the deceased workers.

Commissioner Shamail Ahmad Khawaja, national and provincial lawmakers Mehmood Bashir Virk, Shazia Ashfaq Matto, Abdul Rauf Mughal, Imran Khalid Butt, Ashraf Ansari, Taufiq Butt, Ashraf Warraich, senior officers of labour and social security departments were present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2014