MULTAN: The National Accountability Bureau’s Regional Board has authorised an inquiry against the officers and officials of the district councils and land revenue departments of Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur in a case of alleged embezzlement in revenue collection and management of land donated by Sardar Kauray Khan Jatoi.

According to an official handout issued here on Sunday, the board meeting which was presided over by NAB Multan Director General retired Brig Farooq Nasir Awan authorised the inquiry in the case.

“Crores of rupees of revenue has been embezzled by the officer and officials of district council and revenue department during their posting tenures in affairs of Sardar Kauray Khan Trust,” the handout said.

It said initially the case was taken up by the Anti-Corruption Establishment, Muzaffargarh, but no material action had been taken so far.

“It has been revealed during initial stages that as per classified register, revenue collected between 1985 and 2013 (28 years) is shown as only Rs80 million whereas revenue collected after documentation of Sardar Kauray Khan lands between May 2013 and June 2016 (three years) is Rs81 million which is almost the same,” it stated.

It said the revenue record, record of allotted/leased lands and details of officers/officials, pertaining to collection of revenue and management of lands gifted by Sardar Kauray Khan, was demanded by the NAB Multan which was not provided by the authorities with excuse that revenue record, land record and officers/officials record cannot be found or is not available with them.

“It is suspected that record has either been hidden/destroyed to protect high-profile people,” the handout said. It stated that the Board had recommended stern action against those involved in embezzlement and completion of inquiry.

Sardar Kauray Khan was a landlord who had donated 82,753 kanal and 14 marla in 1894. Later, the land was transferred to local fund (now Zila Council) in 1897. Of this land 72,149 kanal is in Muzaffargarh and 10,604 kanal and 11 marla land falls in the jurisdiction of Rajanpur.

On the direction of the Supreme Court, District Officer Coordination Shahzad Khan Magsi would present his survey report of the land in the court (today) in connection with an application filed by Muzaffar Khan Magsi and Advocate Syed Mansoor Bukhari, residents of Muzaffargarh, in 1992.

The plaintiffs in their petition stated that Mr Jatoi bequeathed 83,000 kanal for the welfare of the public of Muzaffargarh but the land was being mismanaged by the government officials and embezzlement was committed.

The Supreme Court directed the Muzaffargarh district and sessions judge to probe the entire matter relating to a huge chunk of 10,000 acre by the late Jatoi. The judge recommended action against the negligent people in his report submitted on July 11, 2015.

The Supreme Court had directed the authorities concerned to develop ways for effective control and management of the property donated by Sardar Kauray Khan Jatoi in Muzaffargarh for the welfare of the district, after demarcation of the trust land and get vacated the occupied property.

Published in Dawn October 24th, 2016