RAWALPINDI: A civil court on Monday remanded Chief Executive Officer of the District Education Authority Rawalpindi along with an official to the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on a two-day physical custody in a case of alleged embezzlement of Rs9.9 million.

Senior Civil Judge Waqar Hussain directed the ACE to present the suspects in the court again on June 25. ACE circle officer Mansoor Mazhar presented CEO and superintending clerk in the court.

The investigation officer requested for seven-day physical remand of the suspects for investigation and recovery of the amount.

ACE on June 21 lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against the two suspects under Section 5/2/47 of the Anti-Corruption Act in addition to Sections 420, 468, 471 and 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

According to the FIR, the two suspects, prepared tender documents worth Rs9.9 million for the purchase of office furniture, stationery and IT equipment in March but did not publish these documents on E-Pads.

Electronic-Pak Acquisition and Disposal System (E-Pads) is a digital platform used by the government specifically under public procurement and asset management processes.

The FIR stated that the payments were made to the contractors while the latter did not supply the goods.

Thus, the suspects caused huge loss to the national exchequer.

The ACE team was formed comprising officials from Rawalpindi and Chakwal and the inquiry team proved that work orders worth Rs2.5 million were issued to M/s Malik General Order Suppliers for stationery items and Rs2.8 million for furniture. Similarly, a work order worth Rs2.6 million was issued to M/s Kamran Enterprises for the purchase of IT equipment.

In this way, payments were made to both contractors and the receiving receipt of all goods was recorded in the official stock register.

However, according to the statement of Mahmood, complete goods had not been supplied yet.

According to him, goods worth Rs1.7 million were given in furniture items and Rs1.9 million in IT.

It caused a loss of Rs3.6 million to the national exchequer.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2025