NAB recovers millions of rupees, Riyals, 3kg gold in Hyderabad

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested Mushtaq Ahmed Shaikh, former Additional District Accounts Officer (ADAO), Hyderabad, who owns properties of over Rs1 billion, from Karachi. His physical remand of 14 days has been given to NAB by the Accountability Court, Hyderabad.

The arrest was made by the special investigation team constituted by DG NAB Karachi Major (retd) Shabbir Ahmed on the basis of interrogation of accused persons in NAB’s custody.

A search operation was conducted on the pointation of accused Mushtaq Shaikh at his residences, farm-house, wedding hall and his places of llegal business located at Hala, district Matiari. Several properties worth over Rs1 billion were found to be in possession of the accused that have been acquired and accumulated from proceeds of offences of corruption and embezzlement of government funds, held in his own name and in the names of his close relatives and benamidars. 

Following properties along with original treasury bills (equivalent to financial instruments/cash) worth Rs1 billion have also been recovered that the accused was about to send for clearing process: Rs17.3 million cash including prize bonds, Saudi Riyals 37,016, three kilograms gold ornaments, several vehicles along with documents, one Tagheuer wrist watch, document of two bungalows in DHA Karachi, two plots in DHA Karachi, two plots in Bahria Sports City Karachi, two houses in Hala, one farm house including 45 acres land in Hala, 85 buffaloes, 31 cows, 30 goats, three deer, four peacocks, 200 acres agriculture land in Hala, houses in Qasimabad, Hyderabad, flats in Hyderabad, saving certificates of Rs100,000, documents of investment in Emaar Giga Karachi of Rs40 million and 31 chequebooks of various bank accounts.

It may be noted that Mushtaq Ahmed Shaikh and Yousuf Khanzada are already facing trial in a separate Reference No. 27/2016 filed on 10th December, 2016 along with Ayaz Ahmed Abro, former accountant, Ahsanullah Abro, former sub-accountant, District Accounts Office, Hyderabad and Abu Bakar, former head constable Sindh Reserve Police (SRP), Hyderabad. The said accused collectively returned to the national exchequer the amount of Rs97 million only from years 2012 to 2013. However, on their failure to deposit entire amount to the national exchequer, they were sent up for trial as accused in the said reference. The said investigation/reference, however, led to other clues when available evidence related to treasury was further processed and trail was followed. The money trail led to Mushtaq Ahmed Shaikh, the then ADAO and his benamindars. 

Preliminary interrogation has revealed that while the accused was in service, he misused his authority by fraudulently preparing bogus bills, as well as mixing some bogus bills in the lot of genuine bills, in favour of bogus beneficiaries under the heads of different bills, pension, GP fund, salaries and allowances and got them processed and cleared through various bank accounts opened in connivance with various bankers. The accused has remained linchpin in an organised crime and process of money laundering; and has been operating a large gang consisting of private persons and incumbents of various district accounts offices who have been jointly and separately in connivance with each other, getting bogus payments cleared and subsequently cash withdrawn. The interrogation has also revealed that the accused, even after his retirement, has been operating privately as facilitator in consideration of kickbacks and commissions and has continued with his corrupt practice without impunity.