DADU: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested an officer of the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) for alleged fraud of Rs66.67 million in the affairs of Lakhra Coal mines, some 10km from Jamshoro city.

The FIA Hyderabad circle registered an FIR (11/2021) on the complaint of PMDC general manager (Lakhra mines) Mohammad Ilyas against project manager Rana Tanvir, assistant manager accounts Niaz Akhtar, deputy manager Shahid Ahmed and contractor Abdul Razzak on the allegations of corruption during 2016 and 2020.

The FIA team led by Sub-inspector Ghulam Akbar Soomro arrested Niaz Akhtar.

He said the team was conducting raids to arrest other accused.

Talking to this reporter, FIA Hyderabad circle additional director Wasi Hyder said that an investigation into the fraud was in process.

He said accountant Niaz had been receiving cash amount from people for some affair in coal mines and issuing them payment receipts, but he had not deposited the amount with the PMDC. Niaz is said to be main accused in the scam.

Rs12m embezzlement

The FIA has started a probe into embezzlement of Rs12m in the State Life Insurance Corporation Hyderabad after registering an FIR against five officials of the corporation.

Those nominated in the FIR (6/2021) included area managers Mohammad Irfan Memon and Haresh Kumar, senior office assistant Khalid Javid, sales manager Faisal and clerk Bakhtiar Malik for embezzling public money through a private bank.

According to FIA inspector Abdul Hameed Qureshi, the deputy manager of the insurance firm in Hyderabad got registered the FIR against the officers for embezzling Rs12m in 2019-2020 in the head of instalments of policies.

He said raids were under way to arrest them.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2021