DERA GHAZI KHAN: The deputy commissioner (DC) recommended to the anti-corruption director to take legal action against an employee of the Arazi Record Centre (ARC) here for allegedly embezzling the fee of immovable property by using fictitious receipt book of the district council and fake stamp of Bank of Punjab.

The embezzlement came to the fore when Noor Muhammad sold his piece of land to Sajjad, but the tax deposit receipts of the land were found fake. Both individuals recorded their statement with the inquiry officer that the fee was deposited through an employee of the Arazi Record Centre, Javed.

The matter was placed before district council Chief Officer Chaudhry Farmaish Ali, who directed an inquiry into the matter.

The inquiry officer, District Finance Officer Daud Tauqeer, conducted an inquiry and submitted a report to DC Mahar Mazhar Iqbal.

According to findings of the inquiry report, receipts of mutation of Mauza Yaru and Mauza Samina were found bogus or fictitious. In light of these findings the DC recommended the authorities concerned of the revenue department to exercise Peeda Act against the forger and recommended the local Anti-Corruption Establishment director to take legal action, as the criminal act of the Arazi Record Centre employee was evident from fictitious receipts and fake stamp of Bank of Punjab.

An employee of the revenue department told Dawn that further probe by the anti-corruption body will reveal multi-million-rupee scandal, as there was a whole gang of forgers active in Punjab.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2018