Islamabad:In a significant crackdown on institutional fraud, the Federal Investigation Agency’s Anti-Corruption Circle (ACC) apprehended 28 employees of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Monday.
The arrests were executed following the dismissal of pre-arrest bail applications by the Special Judge Central-II, marking a decisive turn in a long-standing investigation into systemic recruitment irregularities within the civic body.
The legal proceedings stem from FIR No. 109/2025, which was formally registered in December 2025. The accused, who held various positions ranging from BPS-5 to 14, are facing serious charges under the PPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. The charges include forgery, cheating, and the use of fraudulent documents to secure public office.
The ACC has booked 58 employees for allegedly submitting forged educational documents and fake credentials at the time of their recruitment involving procurement of public office through deception, Section 420, Section 468, Section 471, Section 5(2) of PCA 1947.
Investigations revealed that the individuals deliberately bypassed merit-based recruitment protocols by submitting fabricated educational degrees and school certificates. This coordinated deception allowed them to illicitly obtain government salaries, benefits, and seniority, effectively draining the national exchequer and depriving qualified candidates of rightful employment opportunities. The FIA has indicated that the scope of the inquiry is now expanding to include the recruitment committees and verification officers who may have facilitated or overlooked these discrepancies during the induction process.
The phenomenon of forged credentials in the public sector often thrives due to a combination of high unemployment rates and the perceived lifelong security of government tenure. Candidates frequently resort to ‘degree mills’ or counterfeiters to bridge the gap between their actual qualifications and the stringent requirements of public service commissions. In many instances, the lack of a centralized, digital verification system between educational boards and hiring departments creates a vacuum that opportunists exploit to gain unearned professional status. The 28 suspects are scheduled to be produced before a competent court tomorrow as the FIA seeks further physical remand to finalise the evidentiary trail.
