Punjab finance dept detects Rs250m fraud

LAHORE: The Punjab Finance Department has unearthed fraud of Rs250million committed in the Multan District Accounts Office in refund of the revenue deposit.

According to a spokesperson for the Finance Department, the issue came in the notice of Finance Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo while inspecting the record and payments made to the Punjab Highways Department, Multan.

It was revealed Rs 250 million were drawn on bogus claimants of the land acquisition collector, Punjab Highways Department, Multan. The embezzlement of the government revenue was going on from 2018 and till the matter was detected by the inspecting staff of the Finance Department, Provincial Treasuries Inspectorate. The fraud was committed by land acquisition collector of the Punjab Highways Department, Multan, in connivance with the officials of district accounts office, Multan. The preliminary probe and the process for registration of FIR against the land acquisition collector, PHD, Multan and the staff of the district accounts office is underway.

Meanwhile, the main person involved in the fraud has been arrested by Anti-Corruption Establishment, Multan while attempting to flee abroad. The spokesperson stated that the detection became possible due to a vigilant eye on the working and inspection by Finance Department.