NAB arrests official in betel leaf case

LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Lahore, Friday arrested a senior Customs official allegedly involved in betel leaf import scam in which Rs2.6 billion were embezzled in the wake of custom duty evasion by mis-calculating liable duty on import of betel leaf.

According to a NAB official, the arrested accused was identified as former deputy superintendent Muhammad Sohail Butt from Sialkot. He said the accused was wanted to NAB Lahore for the past some time.

The Bureau has so filed around 70 corruption references in accountability courts in the same case, he added. According to the spokesman, accused Sohail Butt was appointed as Deputy Superintendent Customs during 2011-12 wherein he allegedly by misusing of his authority used to evade/mis-calculate custom duty liable on import of betel leaves which was being imported in accordance with Pak-Sri Lanka Free Trade agreement.

Sohail Butt, he said, has been nominated as key accused in almost 40 corruption references filed before accountability courts in the same case in which more than Rs1 billion were embezzled with mutual connivance of numerous importers, including him.