A primary school was under construction under the self-help in Swat State. Stones, wooden rafts and batons etc were provided by the locals while masons, carpenters etc were arranged by the State.
There was a police post in Banjot area, headed by a Jamadar, under the charge of police commander, State Police. That Jamadar was made responsible to supervise the work and maintain Muster Roll of the masons etc. Those Muster Rolls or attendance sheets were brought twice a month and were incorporated with other departmental lists for payments.
The Jamadar came twice a month and took the cash for payment to the masons. Each voucher was for 15 days and there was no break shown for rainy days or other obstacles.
Some three months later, I went to Banjot to check the progress. I was surprised to see that the walls were not yet completed in such a long time. A week later as the Jamadar did not attended the office to collect the cash, the masons came themselves to get their wages.
On an impulse, I asked the first mason that how many days he worked in the current half month. He replied that he worked for four days. In the attendance list, he was shown present for fifteen days. I paid him for four days and on a paper took his thumb impression as a proof of his receiving the wages of four days.
Similarly, the other masons said that they were present for four days as well. So their thump impressions were also recorded on the same sheet of paper.
I took the paper and the over-drawn money to my officer and told him the whole story. He advised me to prepeare a report and asked me to come the next day, properly dressed in order to submit the case personally to Wali Sahib (Ruler of Swat State). We called the Jamadar on phone, advising to be present the next day.
The next morning, I and my officer went to the office of the Ruler. On the way, we made a call on the Police Commander, and briefed him about the case. He said that he has no objection if the Jamadar is tried on the allegations raised against him.
So, we presented ourselves before the Ruler. The Jamadar was also there. Wali Sahib first admonished him verbally and then asked me how much embezzlement might have been committed by the Jamadar. I replied that I have no idea but it was obvious he had been committing it from the very start of the project. Wali Sahib ordered his dismissal from service. He also ordered that no funds on retirement is to be paid to him. The official pistol was taken from him and his rank strips were removed from his shoulders.
The whole case took just ten minutes. Wali Sahib applauded me and asked to keep vigilance on such misconduct.
Soon I discovered another such case in another project which was handled in the same way.
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