KARACHI, Oct 10: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has arrested five officials including the administrator of the New Sabzi Mandi for allegedly selling 350 shops illegally and inflicting a loss of Rs150-200 million on the provincial exchequer.

The action was taken after the Chairman ACE, Sindh, Asad Ashraf Malick, received complaints following which he instituted an inquiry into the mandi's affairs.

The inquiry followed with the arrests of Akbar Zardari, Administrator; Mohammad Ayaz Khan, Accounts Officer; Khadim Hussain, Accountant; Ghulam Mohammad, Inspector; and Azizur Rehman, Office Superintendent. Efforts were under way to nab Abdul Rasheed Shaikh, Secretary, Market Committee, the officials added.

According to the inquiry, the recent wave of corruption began after the Administrator, Akbar Zardari, and Secretary Rasheed Ahmed Shaikh were posted at the mandi. The speed of corruption was very high from June to September 2004, as illegal allotments of shops were committed in contravention to government policies and procedures laid down in the light of the high court's decision and the guidelines issued by the ombudsman.

The ACE officials said that during the scrutiny of records, it was observed that over 350 shops were illegally allotted. The action saved a further loss of 700 shops, as they too were about to be sold out, they added.