Punjab officials arrest Suthra Punjab manager over corruption allegations

Punjab’s Anti-Corruption Establishment arrested Abdullah Bajwa, operations manager at Suthra Punjab, after a probe found alleged corruption exceeding Rs1 billion in a sanitation project.

Authorities booked Bajwa and several associates following an inquiry that uncovered multiple financial irregularities and false billing. Investigators say records showed deployment of 2317 waste containers while only 1717 existed on the ground, leading to payments for 600 phantom units.

The FIR also alleges attendance was recorded for 633 ghost sanitary workers who never performed door-to-door duties, enabling wrongful withdrawals from public funds. In addition, only 33 waste enclosures were reported working instead of 118, yet billing covered all units. The case includes claims that three temporary garbage collection points were billed despite never being established.

Officials further contend that the base values of machinery tractors, loaders, front loaders, and tractor trolleys were deliberately understated through fraudulent entries, inflating losses to the government. Investigators also alleged manipulation of vehicle tracker data to hide the true movements and usage of waste collection vehicles.

A high-level team of senior anti-corruption officers led the inquiry, including the regional director and deputy and assistant directors from headquarters and vigilance wings. Their findings prompted the FIR and subsequent arrest as authorities move to recover public money and hold suspected offenders accountable.

Public officials said the probe aims to send a clear message that misuse of funds in essential services will not be tolerated. They stressed ongoing audits and stricter oversight for future sanitation contracts to prevent similar breaches. Meanwhile, oversight bodies plan to review procurement and attendance verification systems, introduce stronger digital tracking safeguards, and tighten financial controls.