GUJRAT: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on Monday arrested assistant director (mines and minerals department) Usman Manzoor who was a nominated suspect in the case of causing a loss of millions of rupees in the award of contract of sand excavation from Chenab river.

Sources in the ACE told Dawn that AD Mr Manzoor had surrendered himself before the investigation officers. The case was lodged against five nominated suspects including former Gujrat additional deputy commissioner (revenue) Dr Rani Hafsa Kanwal, assistant director (environment protection) Umar Ashraf, superintendent inspector (mines and minerals) under sections 420 and 409 of Pakistan Penal Code and 5/2/47 PCA.

The ACE had already arrested the fifth suspect Nadeem Akhtar Malhi [a contractor] who has been a close aide of the Chaudhrys of PML-Q whereas three suspects in the case are yet to be arrested.

An ACE team presented both the arrested suspects before the court of Gujrat senior civil judge and sought physical remand after which the court handed them over to the ACE on a three-day remand up to Nov 20.

However, it is learnt that Mr. Malhi is being kept at a private room of Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital (ABSTH) since his arrest after he told the ACE about his health-related issues as the doctors found some imbalance in his heartbeat.

The other arrested suspect is being kept at a local police lock-up.

A two-member team, comprising assistant director and circle officer of Gujrat ACE, has been tasked with investigating the suspects and official sources said the team would start investigation once the doctors declare the health condition of Mr. Malhi improved.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2020