The Sindh government on Thursday formed Joint Investigation Team (JIT) into the Rs3.61 billion land acquisition scam regarding the construction of the M6 Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway. According to the notification issued by Secretary Interior Sindh, the JIT will be headed by chairman Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Sindh.

The probe team has been directed to submit a report within 10 days after completing the inquiry, the notification said. Meanwhile, the premier anti-graft body of the country National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has started its own investigations into the mega-corruption scandal.

The anti-graft watchdog has summoned record details of Naushahro Feroze deputy commissioner Tashfeen Alam, who was involved in suspicious transactions of over Rs2 billion funds meant for acquiring land for the Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway project. The anti-corruption authority has also sought record of revenue officials belonging to Shaheed Benazirabad and Sukkur divisions.

Earlier, the FIA had recommended putting names of the accused of M-6 fund misappropriation in the exit control list. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Sindh in a letter to the FIA Immigration Islamabad has recommended to keep the names of the accused in motorway M-6 funds scam in the ECL.

According to documents, the National Highway Authority 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. 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.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP