Fresh committee formed in RDA scam probe

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has set up another inquiry committee after a fresh controversy emerged over the transfer of millions of rupees from the contractors’ securities account, following the earlier alleged embezzlement of Rs1.94 billion from the authority’s official account.

The RDA director general constituted the new committee and assigned the additional director general to lead it. RDA Additional Director General Masood Bukhari has been named convener. The committee also includes the director engineering, director administration, director finance, deputy director engineering-II, deputy director finance and assistant director finance-II.

The panel has been tasked with identifying possible irregularities linked to the maintenance operation and the contractors’ securities account, reviewing the relevant record, fixing lapses, obtaining the services of an audit and accounting firm, and submitting its findings to the competent authority.

The record of the contractors’ securities account has still not been provided to the RDA despite efforts to obtain it.

Earlier case still unresolved

The latest development comes in the backdrop of the case that surfaced in May 2025 involving the transfer of Rs1.94 billion from the RDA’s official account to different companies and individuals through Call Deposit Receipts (CDRs).

After that case came to light, the Punjab chief secretary formed a high-level fact-finding inquiry committee. However, the committee’s findings have still not been made public despite the passage of one year.

In that case, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested a contractor, the brother of a former RDA officer and an RDA employee. The contractor was later released on bail, while the RDA employee entered into a plea bargain. The former officer’s brother remains in jail.

NAB has made significant progress in recovering the amount and has sped up the recovery process. However, responsibility for the alleged large-scale embezzlement and related irregularities has yet to be fixed because the fact-finding committee’s report is still pending.