Accountant Rizwan Ashraf turns approver in DPO funds misappropriation case
Accountant Rizwan Ashraf becomes approver in DPO funds misappropriation case
LAHORE (Dunya News) – In a significant development in the investigation into embezzlement of government funds by Punjab police officers, accountant Rizwan Ashraf has become an approver in the case.
Sources said that police officers in Gujrat alone damaged the national exchequer to the tune of Rs 700 million by alleged corruption. In Sheikhupura region, alleged corruption of Rs 450 million was done and similarly in Sahiwal region, millions more were embezzled.
Rizwan Ashraf has alleged that Rai Ijaz used to receive monthly bribe of Rs 1.2 million as petrol in collusion with MTO Akhtar Shah.
He alleged that Rai Ijaz gave gifts worth Rs 4 million at his brother’s wedding from the national exchequer. He also used to continually send monthly expenses from official funds to his wife in Australia. Rizwan said that Ijaz used him to send money to a woman in Multan from the government treasury. Ijaz also misappropriated Rs 2.1 million from the police fund for seizing containers under the guise of a sit-in.
Rizwan Ashraf further alleged that dance and leisure parties in private hotels in Gujarat were held using public funds sent through him. Misappropriations were also done from martyrs’ fund, police investigation fund and retirement fund.
He alleged that former Gujarat DPO Sohail Zafar Chatha was paid Rs 6.8 million from the national exchequer in three months and his family bought 1.1 million worth of electronic items in one day from a shop called World Electronics. Sohail Zafar Chatha also allotted government vehicles to former DIG Ahmed Mubarak.
Rizwan Ashraf said that Rai Zameer used to pay former IG Shaukat Javed Rs 50,000 monthly and extorted Rs 32.7 million from the citizens of Gujarat in the name of Police Welfare Hospital. Sohail Zafar Chatha’s brother continued to receive Rs 1.5 million per month, his wife received Rs 2 million per month and he himself also drew Rs 2 million allowance each month. Sohail also used Rs 260,000 of public funds to pay for an American visa.
He said that money would be brought from Gujarat to Pindi Bhattian, transferred to banks and shown as agricultural income. Sohail Zafar is said to have spent Rs 2.5 to 3 million on renovating a private house and Rs 2.5 million was paid to Kamran Mumtaz during his 3-month tenure as DPO.
Rizwan said that Kamran Mumtaz’s wife was paid Rs 50,000 monthly by him. He said that DPOs Sohail Zafar and Kamran Mumtaz are experts in forgery and gave forged signatures on every bill.
On November 24, 2016, Sohail Zafar threatened to kill Rizwan and told him to go into hiding. He even extorted Rs 4.5 million from him for not taking his life. Rizwan said him and his colleague from the Accounts branch, Rameez, had their properties sold off through forgery.
Rizwan Ashraf further said that AC Gujrat Noorul Ain was given a police vehicle for security and expenses for lavish parties at a well-known and expensive coffee shop were also paid by the police fund. Sohail Zafar also paid 260,000 visa fees in the United States from the police fund.
During the interrogation in NAB custody, Accountant Rizwan said that each DPO had a fixed monthly bribe of multiple lacs from the national exchequer.
NAB Lahore is currently investigating cases against Punjab police officers in Gujrat, Sahiwal and Sheikhupura regions for causing billions in monetary damage. Former DPO Gujrat Rai Ijaz and Kamran Mumtaz have been arrested while former DPO Rai Zameer is still on the run. Former DPO Sohail Zafar Chatha is currently out on pre-arrest bail.
