LAHORE: The Punjab additional chief secretary has launched an inquiry into charges of corruption, misconduct and inefficiency against the Kabirwala assistant commissioner and two other officials under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (Peeda) Act 2006 on a reference filed by the Multan division commissioner.

Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Akbar Zahoor has been accused of submitting an exaggerated bill of over Rs16.14 million against a figure of Rs4.9 million on account of expenditure incurred on arrangements to facilitate the farmers during disbursement of compensation under the Prime Minister’s Kisan Package 2015.

Additional Chief Secretary Shamail Ahmad Khwaja has appointed Member-1 (Inquiries), S&GAD Muhammad Hasan Rizvi as inquiry officer to proceed against the three accused and conduct an inquiry into the charges levelled against the three officials.

Two other officials -- Kabirwala Tehsil Municipal Officer Imtiaz Ahmad and office superintendent Umer Farooq -- have been accused of verifying the contractor’s bill and initiating a note, respectively.

A preliminary probe, conducted by the Multan additional commissioner (consolidation), had reported that Akbar Zahoor had submitted the exaggerated demand to the Khanewal district coordination officer viz-a-viz transportation, drinking water, tentage etc for the farmers who came to receive compensation under the Kisan package.

The bill was prepared by the contractor, Arham Builders.

But during the preliminary probe, AC Akbar Zahoor resiled from his Feb 9, 2016, report submitted to the Khanewal DCO regarding the estimated bill and brought the bill down to Rs4.9m from Rs16.14m.

Sources told Dawn a farmer leader had complained about the exaggerated bills prepared by Akbar Zahoor in connivance with his subordinates and a contractor, including charges for the services not used altogether. The farmers had complained that no transport was used to pick and drop them but an exaggerated amount was added in the bill. They also alleged that the bill for tenting and a generator was too high that the tehsil municipal administration (TMA) could have purchased new tents and a generator at much less price.

Yousaf Randhawa, one of contractors of the Arham Builders, when the scam surfaced, approached the sessions court and claimed that the bills were wrong. He got a stay from the sessions court, submitting that he did not pick and drop the farmers as it was not his mandate in the contract.

Sources claimed the officials concerned tried to hush up the case but it was reopened when another complaint was made with the chief minister whose office sought inquiry and asked the Multan commissioner to place the Kabirwala AC under suspension and initiate proceedings under the Peeda Act 2006.

Eventually, the matter was taken up by the additional chief secretary, who initiated inquiry against the accused.

When contacted, Kabirwala AC Akbar Zahoor denied allegations of corruption, saying no payment had been ever made. He said the bill was revised after formal negotiations with the contractor as the government had asked for rationalising the bill. He said he could not check the exaggerated bill due to rush of work and added that the bill was submitted according to the rates given by the Arham Builders’ contractor Naveed.

Upon government’s direction, he added, he had negotiated with the contractor and reduced the bill significantly. Admitting the farmers had used their own transport for convenience sake, he said that he had removed the transport bill but transport was still used to some extent. He also claimed that Yousaf Randhawa had posed himself as Naveed’s partner but was actually an employee in the Arham Builders.

Akbar Zahoor claimed that he had not been suspended from service and was still working on his post

The additional chief secretary has directed the accused officers to submit their written defence to the inquiry officer within seven days of the date of receipt of the order. In case of no response, it shall be presumed that either they have no defence to offer and have accepted the charges.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2016