Corruption to the tune of billions of rupees was unearthed in the tractor subsidy scheme of the Sindh Agriculture Department, according to a statement issued by the Sindh Information Department on Wednesday Thorough enquiries were conducted into the matter after the record was obtained from the Agriculture Department.
The enquiries revealed that the CEO of Shahzad Trade Link, Shahzad Riaz, who is an agent of Belarus Tractors, worked as a dealer delivering tractors to growers who emerged successful under the subsidized tractors scheme from 2009 to 2012. Shahzad Riaz was supposed to have delivered tractors to growers and to claim a subsidy of Rs 300,000 per tractor. As many as 5,780 tractors were supposed to have been delivered by him to growers, although there was no sale. However he succeeded in receiving a subsidy of Rs 1.45 billion through fraud.
Shahzad Riaz received cash payment and generated invoices in the names of growers and claimed huge subsidies from the government, apparently in connivance with three directors of the Sindh Agriculture Department officials. The Anti-Corruption Establishment sent the matter to the ACC-I for further legal action. After obtaining approval from the ACC-I, the ACE had an FIR registered against Shahzad Riaz and three directors of the Sindh Agriculture Department. Further investigation into the matter is underway. However in case No 29/2017 the investigating officer conducted a raid at a house in DHA residential area and took custody of two men busy destroying evidence related to the case.
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