ISLAMABAD: Instead of arresting the accused and conducting an investigation into the allegation of corruption in a housing project, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is considering assisting the society in developing the plots.

The project of the Ministry of Commerce Employees Cooperative Housing Society was launched in the late 1980s in the E-17 area. But the members alleged that the president and other office-bearers of the society changed the venue of the project and sold bogus plots, pocketing about Rs2 billion and depriving the members of their plots.

The affected members filed a complaint with the NAB chairman, alleging that the bureau officials were delaying the investigation. The members also expressed concerns over the change of the investigation officer (IO), alleging the new IO was not taking the case seriously.

When contacted, Ghaziur Rehman, the case officer, said: “I cannot comment on the matter.” He asked Dawn to approach the NAB media cell.

NAB Rawalpindi Director General Zahir Shah, when contacted, said changing the IO was a routine. “No one remains at a same position in NAB for more than three years.”

Over the investigation of the case and action being taken against the accused, he replied: “Our top priority is to develop the society so that the buyers can get possession of their plots. In this regard, NAB will also assist the management of the society.”

He said arresting the accused and sending them to jail would not be in the interest of anyone. “People will be deprived of their plots if the accused are sent to jail,” he maintained.

NAB chairman Chaudhry Qamar Zaman could not be contacted for comments on the matter.

In their complaints lodged with the NAB chairman on May 16, the members stated: “We had submitted complaints along with all the evidence to NAB Rawalpindi in January 2015 against the society’s president for embezzling Rs2 billion.”

The complainants added that NAB had already completed the inquiry into the case through its investigation officer, Samina Rehman. But the IO was changed and the investigation of the case taken from her at the last moment.

“From March 2015 to April 2015, the officers of NAB reviewed the development and construction work,” the application stated, adding in this regard assistance was also taken from the officials concerned of the CDA and PWD.

They reviewed the costly land measuring 140 kanals of the society with the one taken in exchange for it far away from the main road and having ravines and nullahs. The case officer visited the site on several occasions and during all these visits he was accompanied by the office-bearers of the society against whom the members had already lodged complaints of corruption.

“We approached the case officer and requested him to also allow us to accompany him to point out the actual land of the society,” the application stated.

“But in reply, the case officer hurled threats on us,” the application alleged.

The members claimed that the allegation of bogus allotment of 900 plots was proven during the investigation conducted by the former investigation officer.

The members appealed to the NAB chief to give the inquiry of the case back to the former IO.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2016