ATTOCK, June 9: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation team has made a breakthrough in the probe into the recent Rs8.1 million bank fraud and arrested the cashier of the Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF), Sanjwal Cantt, who is being considered as the mastermind behind the scam, it is learnt.
Sources told this reporter that the NAB team headed by Col Amjad, who initiated the probe on Friday morning, revealed the same day that the POF cashier, Jammiullah Khan, was allegedly involved in the fraud.
To confirm the finding, the team also showed the cashier’s picture to the already arrested accused, Mohammad Sharief, who identified the former without any hesitation.
Mr Sharief said the cashier had hired him at Rs6,500 per month and on May 31 he handed him a cheque for Rs1.75 million at the canteen of the District Headquarters Hospital Attock and told him to draw the amount from the NBP Attock city branch.
Statements taken from the bank officials and guards also revealed that the cashier was seen at the bank on May 31, when the amount of Rs8.1 million was withdrawn from the account of the POF Sanjwal through two fake cheques issued in favour of Mustamir Khan and Mohammad Sharief.
The sources said afterwards the NAB team along with the accused, Mr Sharief, and police went to the POF Sanjwal on Friday midnight and informed the authorities there about all facts.
After a lengthy conservation, the cashier was summoned for identification parade, in which the arrested accused once again identified him.
On this the NAB authorities arrested Jammiullah Khan and shifted him amid security to an interrogation cell in Rawalpindi, the sources said.
It was also revealed that some other persons, including the cashier’s brother, were also part of the fraudsters gang.
Meanwhile, a raiding team had been also dispatched to the Malakand district for the arrest of the second accused person, Mustamir Khan, a resident of Burhankot Dargai.
NBP Regional Business Chief (Rawalpindi) Tariq Baig, when contacted, confirmed the arrest of cashier Jammiullah.
Explaining the reason behind the suspension of six bank officials, including the branch’s chief manager Malik Akhtar who had nabbed Mohammad Sharief, Mr Baig said the action had been taken on administrative grounds and not due to their involvement in the fraud.
“Undoubtedly the former chief manager had done a great job in tracing the accused, but he should have been vigilant when the huge amount of Rs8.1 million was withdrawn,” he added.
POF Sangwal Managing Director Mr Asif was not available for comments when an attempt was made to contact him.