A contractor has been arrested for submitting a fake call deposit of Rs 16 crore during the auction of 18 blocks of minor minerals in Nowshera.
Following a report from Assistant Director of Minerals Irfanullah, the Nowshera Police registered a case against two contractors, Tahir Ali from Kohat and Muhammad Tariq from Peshawar, and arrested Zahir Ali.
According to Irfanullah, the accused submitted fraudulent bank documents to participate in the auction. Upon verification of the call deposit with the MCB Bank branch in Lahore, the bank manager refused to authenticate the documents and stated that he was unaware of them.
The police have charged both suspects under relevant sections of the law, including PRC 419, 420, and 468, among others relating to forgery. Further investigation is ongoing.
Sources within the Department of Minerals reported that strict monitoring is being conducted during the auction process to ensure transparency, which helped in the timely identification of the fraud.
Read also: KP govt announces paid internships and grants now open for unemployed skilled youth
