LAHORE – The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) of Punjab has arrested former Rawalpindi commissioner retired Captain (retd) Mohammad Mahmood and Land Acquisition Commissioner Wasim Tabish for their alleged involvement in the Rawalpindi Ring Road scam.
ACE Director General Gohar Nafees talking to media on Wednesday said that the action was taken in light of the inquiry forwarded to his department on May 22 earlier this year.
He said that ACE completed the investigation 15 days ahead of the deadline, adding that more than 21,000 pages related to the project were examined by officials.
Media reports citing sources said that political individuals involved in the scam have been given clean chit in the initial report.
The sources added that no federal cabinet member was found to be involved in the project.
The DG ACE, along with advisor to PM Shahzad Akbar, met Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday and presented the initial report on the scandal.
The report revealed that the changes made in PC-1 increased the cost of the project by close to Rs 10 billion.
Earlier, a fact-finding committee highlighted large-scale irregularities in the Ring Road project. Former commissioner Muhammad Mehmood along with some incumbent government personalities made illegal changes in the actual plan of the project.
Former Rawalpindi commissioner Captain (retired) Mohammad Mehmood and land requisition officer Wasim Tabish have also been named in the scam.
PM’s aide on overseas Pakistanis and close friend Zulfi Bukhari also resigned from his public office after an inquiry into the Rawalpindi Ring Road project alleged his involvement in this project.
Meanwhile, the National Accountability Bureau has also started an official inquiry against the alleged corruption and irregularities in the project.
Rawalpindi Ring Road scandal: Zulfi Bukhari resigns as PM Imran’s aide
