DC Matiari arrested over graft charges in motorway funds

MATIARI: Anti-Corruption officials of Hyderabad have arrested deputy commissioner Matiari over corruption in funds for Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway project, ARY News reported on Thursday.

A team of Hyderabad anti-corruption department officials arrested Matiari DC Adnan Rashid over graft charges and conducted search operation in DC House of the district.

Anti-corruption officials taken key papers in their custody during the search.

Adnan Rashid was removed hours ago from his office over corruption charges in funds for Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6) project. “He has been detained and will be produced in a court today to seek his physical remand,” sources at the anti-corruption department has said.

According to a government notification, DC Matiari Adnan Rashid has been terminated from service over corruption charges. He had allegedly misappropriated 1.75 billion rupees from the motorway funds.

Deputy Commissioner Benazirabad, Shaharyar Memon, has been given additional charge of DC Matiari.

Assistant Commissioner New Saeedabad, Mansoor Abbasi, has also been notified to be suspended from his office.

Chief Secretary Sindh had initiated inquiry into the corruption scam related to land procurement for the motorway project.

Instead of payment to landowners by cross cheques, the amount was drawn in cash by the accused in their own names, according to the inquiry report.

Sindh government has constituted a committee for further probe in the corruption scandal. “The committee comprises of Additional Secretary Finance and Secretary Sindh Public Service Commission”. The committee will submit its report to the government within three days.

According to documents, the National Highway Authority (NHA) had released an amount of Rs. 4.09 billion to DC Matiari for purchase of the land for the motorway. The accused drawn Rs 1.82 billion cash from bank for procurement of land for 70 kilometers of the road, according to documents.

An amount of Rs four billion was transferred to another account by the accused and earned 540 million rupees profit. AC New Saeedabad paid cash to the landowners instead of cheques, according to case papers.