RAWALPINDI: Nine officials of Excise and Taxation department were booked by the Civil Lines police on charges of fraud and misappropriation of property tax on Thursday, police said.

Police said a case was registered on the complaint of Excise and Taxation Officer Riaz Hussain Qureshi who alleged that inspectors of the taxation department overbilled owners of commercial property and later misappropriate tax money.

Police said the tax department inspectors had sent highly inflated bills to commercial property owners in comparison with the previous bills which caused concern.

After public hue and cry, the Excise and Taxation Department launched a departmental inquiry and found eight inspectors and one junior clerk involved in over-billing and misuse of powers. Those who were booked by the police included eight inspectors associated with property tax department and one lower division clerk. Police said none of the accused had been arrested so far.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2014