Two local tax dept officials remanded in judicial custody in graft case

An anti-corruption court on Friday remanded two local government officials in judicial custody in a case pertaining to charges of embezzlement of funds to the tune of Rs50 million.

The court sought from the investigation officer the charge sheet against Local Tax Department’s deputy directors Mehboob Baig and Nadeem Kamal within 14 days. The investigation officer told the court that former chairman Izhar Ahmed and municipal commissioner Ashfaq Mallah of the District Municipal Corporation, West, were absconding.

Baig and Kamal were taken into custody on Thursday, according to Anti-Corruption Establishment’s deputy director Jam Zafarullah, while the other defendants were on the run. Zafarullah said the arrested deputy directors were involved in corruption of Rs50 million through a fake tender for a cattle market. He added that the investigation was underway against all suspects as they were allegedly involved in more such corruption cases.