Rs3bn M6 motorway scandal: FIA probes escape of prime accused from Karachi airport

KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Karachi has initiated an inquiry into lackluster response of Karachi airport authorities, which helped the prime suspect former deputy commissioner Naushahroferoze involved in Rs3 billion M6 motorway scandal to run away from the country.

In addition, a lady-officer has also been suspended on the allegation of negligence. FIA sources told ‘The News’ that FIA’s immigration officers deputed on Karachi’s Jinnah International airport had allowed to depart Tashfin Alam without inquiring about his ex-Pakistan leave and other mandatory documents required to submit by any government official before flying abroad.

After his departure, the former DC declared as the main accused of mega scandal of around Rs3 billion in two separate cases registered by FIA and Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment.

On the other hand, FIA’s special team raided the house of absconding former DC Alam, arrested his brother-in-law Saudul Haq and claimed to have recovered the laptop of DC Alam and other useful material including of some USBs. On the other hand, the joint investigation team (JIT) formed by Sindh government to probe the corruption case related to Hyderabad-Sulkur Motorway in Naushahro Feroze district submitted its initial report to Chief Secretary Sindh Dr Mohammad Sohail Rajput on Thursday.

According to sources, the JIT report mentioned the involvement of three local influential political figures in addition to officials of Sindh Revenue Department, National Highway Authority and Sindh Bank in the mega-scam. The influential political persons, including Rahmaitullah Solangi, Syed Zaman Shah and Ashgar Ali Jatoi were directly involved in the scam. They forge the documents as well as CNICs of the actual landowners, the sources told The News by quoting the JIT report.

They were nominated among 22 others in the FIR registered by the ACE. The accused drew Rs700 million by using forged documents in a single day through the instrument of seven cheques, said the sources.