ACE registers 75 corruption cases against Sindh departments: CM briefed

Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has registered 75 corruption cases against officials of Sindh Local Government Department this year, Business Recorder has learnt. Sindh Education Department has ranked second in terms of corruption scams with 46 cases of funds misappropriation during last eleven months of 2015.
Chairman ACE Syed Mumtaz on Saturday briefed Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah that his department during last 11 months had registered 328 cases of corruption and misappropriation of Rs 50 million as well. The Chairman ACE said that not only 328 cases have been registered but 431 challans have also been submitted to the courts. The courts have convicted eight officials. On this, the chief minister directed the ACE chief to follow the under trial cases properly. "Your prosecutor and Investigation officer must be competent and strong enough to win the cases when you registered a case."
Mumtaz Shah said that 75 cases of corruption and enquiries have been registered and opened against the officials of local government department, 46 against education, 21 against health department and 14 against the official of Board of Revenue. Brushing aside the impression of taking action only against junior officer, the Chairman ACE said that he had arrested a Medico legal officer who is of grade B-18, a principal of a college who is of grade B-20 and a doctors of B-18. "We do not keep in mind the grades, positions and affiliations of government officers while trapping or registering cases against them," he added.
On this occasion, the chief minister said that the portfolio of ACE was with him. Therefore, "I have given you {Chairman ACE} a free hand and authority to eliminate corruption from the government departments by developing a comprehensive intelligence network to keep an eagle eye on the working of government servants," he said and added "the people of Sindh have entrusted us to use their funds in their interest and welfare".
Syed Mumtaz Shah said that ACE prevents corruption under four different laws such as Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, Pakistan Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1958, Sindh Enquiries Anti-Corruption Act 1991 and Rules 1993; PPC-1860, Corruption Section 161 to 165(b) and Cr.P.C 1898. "To open an inquiry or registering a case against the officers of B-21 and above permission is sought from the chief minister. When a case is registered against a judicial officer only the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court is competent to accord permission. Similarly, for grade B-17 to B-20 chief secretary, for grade B-9 to B-16 the commissioner concerned and for grade B-1 to B-8 concerned deputy commissioner is competent to open inquiry," he elaborated and added that Anti-corruption Committee -1 (ACC-I) is held under chief secretary, ACC-II under commissioner and ACC-III under concerned Deputy commissioner.