FIA unearths huge corruption in CAMB, CEMB

AMRAIZ KHAN LAHORE FIA investigators have unearthed another corruption case worth millions of rupees in Center for Applied Molecular Biology (CAMB) and Center of Excellence for Molecular Biology (CEMB) Lahore. The accused who is a retired professor has put the traditional corrupt mafia to shame by committing corruption on such a huge level, said sources privy to the investigation report submitted to the Senate. The inquiry report revealed that Dr. Sh Raiz-ud-Din not only opened six bank accounts with out intimation to Ministry of Science and Technology but also made illegal transaction of worth millions of rupees through these accounts. The accused withdrew an amount of Rs 23,820,804 (23.82 Million) from account on December 24, 2009 when he was no more Director of the Institute and asked bank manager ABL Canal View Society Branch, Lahore through a written request that pay order of Rs. 7,297,186 favouring CEMB stipend and pay order of Rs. 16,523,618 favouring CEMB foreign purchase be issued. The sources said that this transaction was altogether illegal because Professor Dr. Ather Amin was performing duty as Director of CAMB & CEMB and interestingly Dr. Sh Riaz ud Din in his reply to FIA investigating team, clearly stated that he did not operate any account of CAMB and CEMB after December 10, 2009. This transaction took place on December 24, 2009. During inquiry it has also been established that Dr. Sh Riaz ud Din transferred amount of prize money worth US $ 100,000- from A/c No. 02068600559 (Title Dr. Sh Riaz ud Din Prize Money) of ABL Canal View, Lahore to A/c No. 124479000438603 of HBL Allama Iqbal Medical College/Jinnah Hospital Branch Lahore with out permission of the competent authorities. Despite the refusal of HEC officials and Secretary Education GOP, award money and research grant funds were transferred to Principal Allama Iqbal Medical College (AIMC) by Acting Director CEMB, Dr. Tayyab Hussain. MOU between CEMB and AIMC Research Centre has not yet been approved by any competent authority. This is misappropriation of Govt. funds. FIA Punjab Lahore team, comprising, Azhar Mahmood, Deputy Director/FIA Immigration/Lahore, Sami ur Rahman Khan Jami, Assistant Director/FIA Immigration Lahore, Muhammad Alam, Inspector FIA/ ATU Lahore and M. Haider Abbas, Inspector FIA Immigration/ Lahore started inquiry into the allegations. The complaint revealed that Sh. Riaz ud Din remained Director of CAMB and CEMB from 1986 to April 13, 2004. Sh. Riaz ud Din retired from service on April 13, 2004 but was reappointed on contract basis. His contract ended on June 10, 2009 and was not extended further by any competent authority. The complainant also alleged that Dr. Sh Riaz ud Din committed many financial irregularities during his tenure as Director CAMB & CEMB. He opened and maintained many accounts of CAMB unauthorisedly even after termination of his contract. He withdrew and transferred millions of rupees from these accounts. Islamic Development Bank had awarded an institutional prize to CAMB in 2008 on the recommendation of Ministry of Science and Technology through Economic Affairs Division, Govt of Pakistan. This IDB Award 2008 was of US $ 100,000 and a certificate. The amount was received by Dr. S Riaz ud Din on 03/06/2008 but neither prize money of US$ 100,000-not the certificate is traceable. Dr. Sh Riaz ud din misused his authority and made foreign and local purchases of equipment and chemicals worth millions of rupees without observing rules and regulations. The whereabouts of various machinery and equipment valuing millions of rupees are not known. Dr. S Riaz ud Dins daughter Saima Riaz and his son-in-law Dr. Zubair were appointed adjunct professor for a research project and were paid Rs 8.5 million without any work while they were residing abroad. Employees of CEMB were transferred to CAMB without approval of any competent authority. Dr. S Riaz ud Din purchased various vehicles like Honda, Toyota & Mercedes, without permission or approval of any competent authority. Dr. Sh Riaz ud Din continued to operate bank accounts of CAMB and CEMB even after termination of contract on June 10, 2009 and transaction of worth millions was made through these accounts. As per Dr. Sh Riaz ud Dins assertion, since no financial authority was available to his successors and therefore he operated bank accounts till December 10, 2009 after termination of his contract, is beyond any logic and against rules and regulations. After relinquishing of the charge, one is bound to handover complete charge to his successor, investigation report revealed. During the course of inquiry, 6 Bank Accounts of CAMB were unearthed which were opened by Dr. Sh Riaz ud Din but did not intimate to competent authorities of Ministry of Science and Technology. The detail of such accounts is available with this scribe. A/c No. 01-200-3725-4 titled as Grants Misc. was opened by Dr. Sh Riaz ud Din with his own residential address 10-P Model Town, Lahore instead of CAMBs address. This account was not in the knowledge of Ministry of Science and Technology authorities. Transactions in this account are quite alarming. Dr. Sh Riaz ud Din transferred huge amounts from various bank accounts to this account after termination of his contract. During inquiry proceedings following two research projects of huge value were unearthed which was not even in the knowledge of Ministry of Science and Technology officials like HCV Hepatitis Patients project and Pak Kazakhstan P.U Lahore project. The FIA investigators in the end of the inquiry recommended that all projects of CAMB require to be evaluated separately in terms of foreign purchase (equipments and consumable material), local purchase and administrative expenses. Foreign and local purchases require to be physically evaluated and cross checked with the stock registers. FIA has submitted its inquiry report to Senates Standing Committee on Health on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Dr. Sh Riaz ud Din sought a stay order on January 11,2011 against FIA inquiry from the court of Mr. Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan, Multan Bench, Lahore High Court, Lahore. Hence proceedings of FIA inquiry has been suspended.