President Dr Arif Alvi has directed the Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS) to reimburse an amount of Rs 1.2 million with profit to a female citizen whose money was fraudulently withdrawn from her account by issuing a fictitious cheque book and affixing her fake signatures on the withdrawal slip. He also asked CDNS to refer the matter to FIA for proper investigation so that the delinquent officials of CDNS involved in the scam may be brought to book and punished. The President issued these directions while deciding on a representation filed by CDNS (the Agency) against the decision of the Wafaqi Mohtasib directing CDNS to refer the matter to FIA for thorough investigation. As per details, Mst Abida Riffat (the complainant) had alleged that she was maintaining a Pensioners Benefit Account with CDNS in Rawalpindi. She found out in 2021 that an amount of Rs 1.2 million had been fraudulently withdrawn from her account in 2019 through another cheque book which was never issued to her. She lodged a complaint with CDNS for investigation and recovery of her defrauded amount, but the matter was investigated in a superfluous manner and she was informed that she could not produce any evidence in support of her claim. Feeling aggrieved, she approached the Wafaqi Mohtasib which asked CDNS to investigate the matter through FIA. CDNS then filed a representation with the President against the Mohtasib’s decision. The President in his decision observed that CDNS in its letter dated 28.12.2021 had admitted that Rs 1.2 million were withdrawn from her account through fake transaction on 23.05.2019 by affixing fake signature on withdrawal slip. He further noted that during an internal inquiry conducted by CDNS, an officer had given a statement in which he alleged that the disputed amount was fraudulently misappropriated by gunman and the cashier and the Agency had not associated the said officials in the inquiry proceedings. This, he added, depicted that the process of inquiry was not transparent and CDNS was opposing the entrustment of the matter to FIA without any justification. The President concluded that the Wafaqi Mohtasib had rightly observed that the matter of fraudulent withdrawal of amount had not been properly investigated and directed it to refer the matter to FIA. He upheld the Mohtasib’s decision with the direction to CDNS to submit compliance report to Mohtasib within 30 days.
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