Lingering Sindh Tractor Subsidy case: Sanghar police book Karachi businessman in another case

KARACHI: Businessman Shehzad Riaz has been booked in another case by the Sanghar Police on the same day the Sindh High Court granted him bail in the Sindh Tractor Subsidy Case.

The family of Shahzad Riaz believes he got into trouble for not handing over his tractor business to an influential business group. Earlier, Riaz was booked by the Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) for embezzlement in the ‘Sindh Tractor Subsidy Scheme’. The ACE processed the case which was already under investigation by NAB, Islamabad.

According to the documentary evidence, copies of which are available with The News, Shahzad was booked for misappropriation of public funds in the ‘Sindh Tractor Subsidy Scheme’ by Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment for the second time. When the Sindh High Court granted him bail in the case on April 29, 2022, Shahzad Riaz was once again booked by the Sanghar Police.

And when the Hyderabad Jail authorities received the release orders, they handed over Riaz to the Sanghar Police, the next day on account of the registration of FIR.

The FIR's complainant, Nawaz Solangi, claimed giving Rs5 lac to Aijaz Zardari, a dealer of Shahzad Riaz's company, for purchasing a tractor. The dealer instead of delivering the tractor threatened Solangi, the FIR claimed.

Earlier in 2017, Shahzad Riaz was booked in the ‘Sindh Tractor Subsidy Scheme case and remained in jail for four months before being released on bail by the Sindh High Court. His family has now appealed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court to take notice of the case and provide him justice.

In July 2021, the National Accountability Bureau took notice of the Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment’s (ACE) probe into the misappropriation of Rs800 million in the Sindh Tractor Subsidy Scheme, which was already under investigation by NAB Karachi and transferred to NAB Pindi along with the fake accounts case, under the directions of the Supreme Court.