KARACHI: An accountability court on Tuesday sentenced a detained senior superintendent of police to 10 years imprisonment while acquitting another officer in a reference pertaining to Rs50 million corruption in the Sindh police.

The National Accountability Bureau had booked former AIG (logistics) Tanveer Ahmed Tahir and former AIG (finance) Syed Fida Hussain Shah for allegedly embezzling Rs50m released to pay fuel charges and other expenses.

On Tuesday, the accountability court judge pronounced his verdict reserved earlier after recording evidence and final arguments from both sides.

The court awarded 10 year imprisonment to SSP Tanveer Ahmed Tahir, finding him guilty of corruption, involvement in corrupt practices and misuse of official authority while serving as the assistant inspector general (logistics) in the police department, as stated by the prosecution. It also imposed a fine of Rs25m on the convict.

However, the court acquitted co-accused SP Syed Fida Hussain Shah, the then AIG (finance), saying that the prosecution failed to establish its allegations against him.

The Supreme Court had dismissed the pre-arrest bail applications of both officials on June 5 and NAB officials arrested Tahir and later he was remanded to prison. But Shah had escaped from the premises of the apex court. Later, NAB arrested him also.

The prosecution alleged that the detained accused embezzled funds released to pay fuel charges and make special security arrangements for Muharram.

It was alleged in the reference that Fida sought approval from the Sindh police chief to pay for the fuel and other expenses. Subsequently, suspect Tahir allegedly sent five bills of Rs10m each to the Accountant General Sindh, for the release of the amount in the names of M/s Standard Services Station and M/s Quick Filling Station, Racecourse Road, Sukkur.

It was further alleged that Rs30m was withdrawn in the name of M/s Standard Services Station and Rs20m in the name of M/s Quick Filling Station. The NAB investigation revealed that the fuel stations in question had neither issued any bills for payment of the amount nor they had received any such payment.

During investigation it had transpired that after receiving the fuel allowance the embezzled money was transferred to the bank account of constable Mohammad Rafique.

Two former SSGC officials convicted

An accountability court on Tuesday sentenced two former officers of the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC) in a reference pertaining to corrupt practices in the gas utility from 2001 to 2003.

The federal anti-graft watchdog filed a reference in 2007 against SSGC’s former assistant manager (finance) Hina Jabeen and Ali, the then protocol officer for their alleged involvement in corruption and corrupt practices. It alleged that millions of rupees were misappropriated by the nominated accused persons through fake bank accounts.

Pronouncing its verdict reserved earlier after recording evidence and concluding arguments from both sides, the judge sentenced then manager Jabeen to 10 years imprisonment and the then protocol officer to seven years.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs4.5m and Rs1m on them, respectively. However, the court acquitted co-accused Athar Hussain in the case.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2018