RPPs, Ogra & Modaraba scams: NAB officials asked to complete probe at the earliest

Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Qamar Zaman Chaudhry on Tuesday directed the bureau officials to complete investigation into Rental Power Projects (RPPs), Oil and Gas Regulation Authority (Ogra) and Modaraba corruption scams at the earliest. The NAB chairman issued these directives during a meeting at NAB''s Rawalpindi regional office.
Chuadhry asked the Rawalpindi office to complete all inquiries and investigations into the ongoing cases especially RPPs, Ogra and Modarba scams at the earliest, so that appropriate action could be taken, and implementation report should be submitted to the Supreme Court, the NAB spokesman said.
According to an official source, two former Prime Ministers - Raja Pervez Ashraf and Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani - are wanted by the NAB in multi-billion rupees'' scams of RPPs and OGRAs, respectively. Source said that former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, who was Water and Power Minister, and 15 others were accused in the RPPs scam. In the light of the ADB''s audit report, the Supreme Court declared on March 30, 2012 that the RPPs contacts were not transparent and directed the NAB to take legal action against those involved in RPPs case including Raja Pervez Ashraf.
He said that Raja Pervez Ashraf had been accused of receiving kickbacks and commission in the RPPs deal when he was federal minister for water and power in 2008. In the RPPs scam, nine firms were blamed for receiving more than Rs 22 billion as mobilisation advance from the government to commission the projects, but most of them did not set up their plants and a few installed some plants after an inordinate delay, he added.
Sources said that former Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza wanted NAB to investigate him in connection with the appointment of former Ogra chief Tauqir Sadiq, who was allegedly involved in Rs 80.56 billion scam. NAB has issued notices to former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani three times to appear before the NAB investigating team to record his statement on the appointment of Tauqeer Sadiq as chairman, but he did not appear before the investigating team, they said. Source said that NAB is likely to issue arrest warrant of Gilani, who failed to appear before NAB investigators.
The official said that a group namely Modaraba was obtaining funds on profit-and-loss basis from the public without any authority, approval or registration as a Modaraba company with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). The NAB Bureau in March this year received an anonymous complaint against Ehsanul Haq, main accused of the ''Modaraba scam'', with an estimated amount of Rs 280 billion along with his group, sources said.
He said that NAB investigators arrested the main accused of the scam Mufti Ehsanul Haq in April this year. The accused, admitting his guilt, applied for Voluntary Return (VR). On June 18, NAB approved the VR for an amount of Rs 552 million, of which the accused had submitted Rs 446 million in the form of 20 pay orders. Ehsan promised that he would deposit the remaining amount in one month while NAB had kept the original documents of his immoveable property as guarantee for six months, the sources added. Ehsanul Haq, after approval of the VR, was released.
The official said that after his release he also convinced hundreds of his victims not to file claims with NAB again and promised to restart distribution of profit soon. However, Ehsanul Haq after three months of his release had disappeared and shut down his office, they said.
They further said that after receiving public complaint NAB had put the name of Mufti Ehsanul Haq on Exit Control List (ECL) and also conducted raids to re-arrest him. NAB investigators arrested him and presently he is in jail. The spokesman said that the chairman NAB directed all officers to follow orders of the court in letter and spirit, and meet the given deadlines. He also directed the Operations and Prosecution Divisions to work in close collaboration to achieve the desired results in cases of corruption. He said that he would extend all out support to the Regions but field offices must reciprocate by producing results.