ISLAMABAD: An investigation into an alleged corruption scam involving Rs16 million, which was detected about seven years ago in the Capital Development Authority (CDA), has still not been finalised.
The ‘fake entry ticket at Lake View Park’ scam surfaced in 2011-12 and it was reported that a contractor in connivance with some CDA officials had collected Rs16.5 million in illegal entry fees.
During an inquiry in 2015 it was established that millions of rupees had been collected from the citizens in the name of entry tickets but never deposited with the exchequer.
Four officials were found ‘involved’ in collecting illegal entry fee in connivance with contractor in 2011
Therefore, the then CDA chairman Maroof Afzal ordered action against the officials responsible and the authority imposed penalties on four officials besides ordering the recovery of the amount from them.
But later a de novo (fresh) inquiry was initiated into the scam which is yet to be completed.
“It seems the de novo inquiry is being used as a tool to delay the probe. In several cases such de novo probes were ordered and not concluded even after years,” said a CDA official who requested not to be named.
He said an inquiry should be conducted into all de novo inquiries in the CDA during the last 10 years.
“I guess startling revelations will come to fore,” the officer said.
Over 70 inquiries are pending in the civic agency which last month attracted the attention of its current Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed who directed the concerned officers to complete all the inquiries within a month otherwise disciplinary actions would be taken against the inquiry officers.
CDA spokesperson Syed Safdar Ali said Lake View Park entry ticket scam inquiry was completed in 2015 and then a de novo was ordered.
“We will look into this inquiry. Last month the CDA chairman gave one month’s deadline to all inquiry officers to complete the probes,” he said.
Officials in the CDA said in 2011 the CDA signed a contract for entry fee collection with a private firm. According to the terms and conditions, the accord was to be effective from Nov 2011.
However, the contractor in connivance with the parks directorate officials illegally started collecting entry fee from the visitors from April 2011 and pocketed the Rs16.5 million.
Following an inquiry, the then CDA chairman ordered curtailment of increment of the then parks deputy director, Irfan Khan, and discontinuation of wage increments for one year of the then parks directors Khalid Malik and Asif Majeed and then park manager Mohammad Zubair.
The CDA had also demanded recovery of Rs16.5 million from three of the officials: 50pc from Mr Khan, 40pc from Mr Majeed and 10pc from Mr Zubair, if the loss was not recovered from the contractor through a decree passed by a civil court. However, action was not taken against them as a de novo was initiated.
The officials pleaded not guilty and on their request a new inquiry was started which is still not complete.
After formation of the local government, Lake View Park is being administrated by the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI). But both the MCI and CDA have a common human resource department which deals with inquiries.
