NAB files reference against housing society office-bearers

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Rawalpindi, has filed reference against the management of the Ministry of Commerce Employees Cooperative Housing Society and others. As per details, accused persons, namely, Rana Ghulam Farid, President, Ministry of Commerce Employees Cooperative Housing Society (MOCECHS); Syed Amir Hussain Shah, ex-vice president/general secretary; Mazhar Hussain, General Secretary; Muhammad Akram Awan, ex- executive member/member development committee; Muhammad Arshad, CEO M/s Sun Shine Real Estate Marketing (Pvt) Limited and Khushnawaz Property Dealer have been arrested from Islamabad. The accused persons, in active connivance with each others, have been found involved in corruption and corrupt practices in allotment of plots, embezzlement of Society Funds and illegal award of contracts for Development Works causing loss of billions of rupees to the members/public at large. Multiple complaints have also been received regarding allegation of misuse of authority in awarding development contracts, allotment of plots and embezzlement of society funds against the management of the society. Investigation revealed that accused Rana Ghulam Fareed, the then president of MOCECHS, in connivance and collaboration with others illegally accommodated and awarded the contract of consultancy services to M/s Naveed Aslam & Associates without competitive bidding in gross violation by the laws of the society. The society has received millions of rupees from members whereas the same has been embezzled by the accused persons instead of spending on purchase of land and development works of the society. Moreover, accused persons also illegally allotted plots without balloting. The investigation also revealed that Rana Ghulam Fareed, the then president of the society in connivance with other accused persons transferred dozens of files amounting to millions of rupees on bogus cheques as well as double allotments. Furthermore, Rana Ghulam Fareed, in connivance and collaboration with other accused persons also involved in transfer of 94x memberships on the basis of fake and bogus documents and without the knowledge of owners. It is also found that accused persons in connivance with each others have committed offence of cheating public at large and criminal breach of trust under the provision of NAO, 1999. Irfan Naeem Mangi, the Director General NAB, Rawalpindi, has said that the Bureau is committed to eradicating corruption by adopting accountability for all policy across the board. He said NAB is making all out efforts to recover the looted money from corrupt elements and deposit in the national exchequer.