11 caught stealing BISP funds | The Express Tribune

HYDERABAD:

In a joint operation in Tando Bago in Badin district, the FIA Crime Circle Hyderabad has arrested eleven suspects on charges of embezzling BISP funds, making illegal deductions from beneficiaries, and unauthorized use of devices.

The authorities seized 16 devices, six plastic thumb?impression tokens, and over Rs 2.296 million in cash. According to sources, among the arrested are four BISP employees and seven pay?retailers. The FIA has filed an FIR naming, in addition to the eleven arrested, District Director BISP Badin Tufail Channa, Tando Bago franchise owner Abdul Ghafoor Chandio, and Dadan Samo, for their alleged involvement.

Beneficiary device holders from Tando Bago – including Mumtaz Ali, Altaf Hussain, Karim Dad, Alhano, Ijaz Ali, and Rajab – submitted complaints to the FIA Director-General, claiming that although they were registered device holders and paid lawful monthly fees, their IDs were blocked without legitimate reason. They alleged that district BISP officials, franchise operators, and bank staff colluded in corruption.

In the FIR, it is stated that during the raid at a camp site in Government Mono Technical College, Tando Bago, the FIA recovered 16 devices, six plastic thumb tokens, the register book, Rs 2,296,000+ in cash, and mobile phones from suspects. It also notes that three devices belonging to retailers Mumtaz Ali, Rajab Ali, and Munir Ahmed were missing from the camp and appeared to be used illegally in collusion with BISP authorities.

One suspect, Altaf Hussain Samo, claimed that his cousin Dadan Samo allotted multiple agent IDs in the names of individuals including Rajab Ali, Allah Dino, Ramesh Kumar, Niam Bheel, and himself. Altaf further alleged that when his registered device was blocked, he was forced to operate an ID under Allah Dino’s name using plastic thumb tokens.

They stated that at each installment disbursement, they paid Rs 150,000 to District Director BISP Badin, Tufail Channa and Rs 150,000 to franchise dealer Abdul Ghafoor Chandio. If a person refused, their device would be blocked.

The FIR states that the recovered items constitute evidence of criminal activity including misuse of plastic thumb tokens, diversion of BISP funds, unauthorized unlocking of devices, and improper deductions from beneficiaries.

The FIA has registered a case under various sections of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947, and BISP regulations, naming the eleven arrested and also Tufail Channa, Abdul Ghafoor Chandio, and Dadan Samo. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the involvement of other persons, if any.