Balkh police, customs officials held on graft charges

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Four officials of Balkh Police and one customs employee have been arrested over graft charges, a source said on Tuesday.

A reliable source wishing anonymity told Pajhwok Afghan News Anti-corruption serious crimes branch of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has arrested four high ranking security officials of Balkh police over financial and administrative corruption charges.

The source said the arrested include Balkh police directors of Logistics, Uniforms, maintenance and supplies.

The source added the detainees were moved to Kabul and are in custody of the Ministry of Interior.

The detainees are accused of financial graft and exploitation of their positions.

Adil Shah Adil, police spokesman, confirmed the four officials were being probed by MoI. They turned up for the MoI inquiry and were not held, he explained..

“A contractor filed a complaint against the four security officials and thus they showed up at MoI for explanation,” he added.

Rafi Tabe, spokesman for the Ministry of Finance (MoF) told Pajhwok Afghan News that National Directorate of Security (NDS) had detained a Balkh customs official named Qader Salarzai corruption charges.

He added Salarzai was investigated and that the ministry hailed steps to eradicate the menace of corruption from government institutions.

In the past month, the Balkh central jail chief and the urban development director were also arrested over graft charges.

hr/mud