Nine nominated in KMC funds' embezzlement case.

KARACHI -- The provincial Anti-Corruption Establishment on Monday nominated nine suspects in a case of alleged misappropriation in the development funds of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

The anti-graft watchdog has booked serving LG Secretary Roshan Ali Shaikh, as well as KDA DG Badar Jamil Mandhro, KMC executive director Zaheer Abbas, assistant executive engineer Syed Mohammad Raza, KDA sub-engineer Talat Bhatti - all former officials - and the KMC's accounts officer Hussain Ali Jafferi along with three private contractors for allegedly misappropriating development funds of the KMC.

On Monday, the investigating officer (IO) filed an interim investigation report showing the then provincial additional secretary Zahid Hussain Khemito and then section officer Athar Nawaz Durrani as absconders in the present case and listed nine officials as prosecution witnesses.

In the investigation report, the IO mentioned that an inquiry was initiated on a complaint of the contractor M/s Khyber Builders against recalling/republishing of the tenders by the KDA's engineering department for construction work on the internal road and CC flooring in Hijrat Colony Union Council No 29.

During the course of inquiry, it transpired that Raza, Talat Bhatti, Ali Jafferi and the accounts officer were the main culprits in the offence in connivance with the private contractors and others, it was mentioned.

It also surfaced that neither Zaheer Abbas nor Hussain Ali Jafferi were employees of the KDA, adding that the tenders uploaded on the official website were also fake and forged.

The interim investigation report said that work had been started illegally and without approval from the competent authority as neither tenders were awarded to any...