ACE Sindh inquiry aimed at undermining NAB investigation?
MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN
ISLAMABAD: Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Sindh has started a probe into the controversial tractors subsidy scheme ostensibly with a view to sabotaging NAB’s inquiry and destroy material evidence already presented in Accountability Court.
Official documents available with Business Recorder reveal that NAB Islamabad had taken cognizance of the “offence” committed in Sindh Tractor Subsidy Scheme (Phase III) from 2013 to 2016 by the accused persons including top/high level government officials and a blue eyed private firm.
In this regard NAB Rawalpindi/Islamabad had conducted a investigation and had filed reference in NAB Accountability Court No. I, Islamabad and in this matter NAB had arrested the management of the influential company and also arrested other personnel. In this regards, as per order of April 13, 2021, physical remand of accused persons was ordered by NAB Accountability Court No I, Islamabad. Some of the accused made plea bargains after issuance of arrest warrants which were accepted by the Accountability Court.
On May 3, 2021, the NAB Office had issued a call-up notice in which an accused appeared before the NAB officials of Islamabad after getting bail from NAB Court and recorded his statement accordingly. On May 27, 2021, NAB Islamabad required information from Director General Agriculture at Hyderabad.
A plan is said to have been prepared to save a high profile personality by side-tracking the probe already conducted by NAB through a parallel inquiry by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) of Sindh in the same matter.
In this regard on May 27, 2021 a letter was issued by Kamran Memon (I.O./Circle Officer) ACE District East Karachi and another letter on June 08, 2021 was issued by the Circle Officer Anti-Corruption Establishment Matiari to conduct an investigation into the same scam of misappropriation of Sindh Tractor Subsidy Scheme (Phase III) from 2013 to 2016.
The sources said, though Sindh Government is fully aware that there is a bar on re-investigation in the matter which is already being conducted by NAB and pending for trial in NAB Court, the ACE is being used to disrupt the inquiry already conducted by NAB.
