Sadiqabad sugar scam suspect escapes after billions embezzlement

SADIQABAD: Prime suspect of Sadiqabad sugar scam fled with allegedly embezzling billions of rupees of sugar dealers and traders, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Hundreds of sugar traders of different towns said to be affected in the scam allegedly involved prime suspect Shaikh Rashid and accomplices.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordered an inquiry into the ‘mega sugar scandal’ worth billions of rupees losses to the national exchequer.

A NAB team visited Sadiqabad to inquire into the matter and conducted inquiry along with the local administration, assistant commissioner of the area said.

The NAB has directed affected people to submit their claims to its Lahore office, the AC further said.

NAB DG Lahore formed a team to conduct immediate investigations, and the inquiry begun against Sheikh Rashid, Kashif, and Faisal.

The NAB spokesperson said that Sheikh Rashid’s four warehouses in Sadiqabad were used to store sugar stocks, and all warehouses and shops have been sealed on the DG NAB orders.

Earlier, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) deployed special teams to monitor sugar mills across Pakistan to curb tax theft.

The FBR spokesperson said in a statement that field formation teams were deployed in sugar mills across the country. The statement read that sugar was one of the notified commodities being monitored by the state.

The authorities used to monitor sugar production, sales, clearance, stock and other activities at the mills, whereas the tax stamp was mandatory on each sack.

The violation of tax stamp printing could lead to the seizure of entire stock and three-year imprisonment for the defaulter, it added.

The bureau said that any attempt of sales tax theft on sugar would be dealt with iron hands and cases would be lodged against those mill owners who were found involved in sugar theft.