NAB files reference against Mandviwalla in case of land allotments

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday filed a reference against Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla in a case regarding allotment of illegal lands.

The anti-graft watchdog in its reference accused Mandviwalla of facilitating Ejaz Haroon in selling government plots to Omni Group’s Abdul Ghani Majeed.

The NAB nominated Mandviwalla, Nadeem Mandviwalla, Ejaz Haroon, Abdul Ghani Majeed and Tariq Mahmood as the accused.

According to the reference, Haroon had received huge sums of money from fake accounts in exchange for the plots. He had prepared backdated files of the plots and sold them Abdul Ghani with the assistance of Mandviwala.

The NAB alleged that Mandviwalla and Ejaz received Rs140 million through fake accounts. From his share, Mandviwalla bought a plot in the name of a frontman before selling it and buying shares in the name of another frontman.

Mandviwalla and Nadeem bought shares in Mangla View Company in the name of Tariq Mahmood.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the NAB Executive Board approved the filing of a reference against former Sindh minister Jam Khan Shoro, inquiries against several Sindh government officials, including Owais Muzaffar Tappi and Sohail Anwar Sial, and two other references.

In one reference, Jam Khan and several government officials are accused of illegally occupying and using government land in Jamshoro and Qasimabad, causing a loss of around Rs5 billion to the national exchequer.

In another reference, Board of Investment Deputy Director Adil Karim and some other government officials are accused of misusing their powers and causing a loss of Rs417.409 million to the national exchequer.

The meeting also closed an inquiry pertaining to the procurement of MI-171E helicopter for the Balochistan government due to lack of evidence against the procurement committee and others.

The meeting at headquarters was chaired by NAB Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal and attended by Deputy Chairman Hussain Asghar and other senior officers.

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