SARGODHA, Dec 7: An important officer of the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) has reportedly been taken into custody by a sensitive institution for investigation into alleged corruption in various TMA contracts.

Sources said SDO Malik Nisar, officiating as XEN (Tehsil Officer infrastructure and services) was taken into custody a couple of days ago.

The alleged wrongdoing surfaced when the TMA floated tenders through newspapers for various development works worth Rs200 million special grant announced by President Gen Pervez Musharraf for sewerage and water supply in city although the government neither released the grant nor accorded technical approval to the proposed works (about which publicity had been made).

Instead of involving the Directorate of Public Relations, as required under the law, the TMA ran the advertisements directly. Six firms reportedly owned by cronies of TMA authorities were granted major tasks against kickbacks of Rs2.5 million.

The official agency is reportedly investigating how the tenders were published directly without the release of the grant from the federal government and how the works were allocated without prior technical sanction from Islamabad.

Complaints about the misuse and embezzlement of already-sanctioned grant of Rs100 million are still pending with the anti-corruption department but the ACE authorities are delaying the investigation.

The nazim and councilors of Islampura Union Council had reported the matter to the ACE in July last about the substandard material used in the sewerage and laying of water supply pipes whereas the contractor had been paid 90 per cent of total amount in advance and despite the expiry of time limit the work had not been completed.

Earlier, Mr Wasiq Qureshi was arrested by the anti-corruption officials a couple of months ago while he was posted as XEN (TOI&S) TMA, Sargodha, but was released upon the intervention of a highly-placed government functionary and thereafter he was shifted to Lahore in safe hands and despite the passage of two months no XEN was sent to the TMA. SDO Nisar was officiating as XEN.

The Court Road sewerage line has not yet not been completed despite the passage of two months although the payment has been paid to the contractor. Death traps in the shape of open manholes are there along the entire road. Complaints were also made to the Tehsil Nazim that substandard work was on with a very slow pace but to no avail.