LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore under supervision of its Director General Shehzad Saleem recovered maximum Rs 31.231 billion out of a total of Rs. 71 billion recovered directly and indirectly from the corrupt elements during the last 22 months.
In two years, more than five billion and sixty crore rupees have been recovered, whereas three billion, twenty crore and forty eight lakh rupees have been disbursed among those affected from these financial corruption cases. In addition to this, thirty-one billion rupees have been directly recovered.
In the housing sector, NAB Lahore concluded 40 out of 62 investigations. In the past two years, Rs 3,000 million worth of plea bargains have been struck for 24,300 victims of illegal housing societies. Under the supervision of DG Lahore, Rs 2,800 million have been recovered from those accused. Meanwhile, Rs 25 billion have been recovered indirectly.
From October 2017 to August 2019, NAB Prosecution Wing filed seven references in accountability courts for recovery of Rs 26 billon. The total number of victims in these references is 21,750. Speaking about the progress report, DG NAB said that his organization is making every possible effort to get the people back their lost money.
Meanwhile, NAB Lahore arrested Javed Muzaffar Butt and Malik Usman Riaz, the owners of Toyota Motors, Gujranwala who were accused of a renowned illegal investment scandal. Both the accused were allegedly involved in receiving illegal investments from the general public on the promises of paying hefty profits over the invested amounts.
As per the claims received by NAB Lahore, both the arrested accused in alleged connivance launched a vehicles’ showroom business in 2006 and started to book new vehicles for delivery, whereas, since 2015 the accused collected more than Rs 3 billion from the general public to the tune of paying them huge profits over the investments. Around 700 affectees, including numerous overseas Pakistanis have, so far, approached NAB Lahore for the recovery of their looted money in the scam.
Furthermore, Butt and Riaz initially started their business in Gujranwala and by the passage of time, they expanded it to Gujrat, Sialkot, Faisalabad and other adjoining areas, ultimately, spreading all over the province. As of their modus operandi (MO), both the accused used to collect the full price of a vehicle, in advance, with the promise to return the same along with a handsome profit.
NAB Chairman Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal has issued directions for giving priority to cases related to cheating the public on a large scale. Whereas, after the issuance of arrest warrants by the competent authority, NAB Lahore officials have taken both the accused into custody, who would be produced before an accountability court, on Tuesday, for seeking of a physical remand to keep the investigation open.
Meanwhile, NAB Lahore organized a ceremony to give away possession letters worth billion of rupees to 472 affectees of Khayaban-i-Amin Housing Society. According to NAB spokesman, the possession letters given included 171 of apartments and 301 of plots. M/s Sahir Associates private limited launched a housing project namely Khayaban-i-Amin Housing Society in 2005-6 and started booking for houses, apartments and plots from 2007 onwards by luring general public to buy on low prices. The society administration promised to deliver booked plots etc within two years but failed to do so.
After receiving multiple complaints against Khayaban-i-Amin Housing Society, the NAB Lahore took cognizance and got arrested one of the owner (50 percent share partner) accused Allah Ditta Heera, whereas other co-accused Sahir Rasheed took pre-arrest bail to avoid his arrest by NAB.
At the time, both the accused were on conditional bail acquired for accommodating and adjusting issues and matters as promised with affectees of the said society within the deadline being drawn by NAB Lahore.
In October 2018, the NAB Lahore arranged a ceremony, in which possession letters of 1400 plots and 150 houses worth Rs 4.70 billion were handed over to affecttees.
Moreover, in two ceremonies held in May 2019 and July 2019, possession letters of 1531 plots and 443 houses were also handed over to affectees of the said society, whereas around 3600 affectees of Khayaban-i-Amin Housing Society had, so far, been benefited due to the tiresome efforts of NAB Lahore officials.