In a shocking turn of events in Gujranwala, it was discovered that officers from the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO) misappropriated funds collected from electricity bill payments, diverting them for personal use instead of depositing them into the national treasury.
Mohsin Naqvi, the Federal Interior Minister, mandated the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate, which led to the arrest of 20 officers from various grades within GEPCO’s Revenue Accounts Branch.
The implicated officers, ranging from grades 9 to 17, were apprehended following concrete evidence of their involvement in diverting funds meant for electricity bills into personal accounts. The FIA’s diligent inquiry highlighted a significant breach of trust and embezzlement amounting to approximately 10.5 crore rupees.
However, in a turn of events that sparked controversy, GEPCO seemingly retaliated by disconnecting the electricity supply to the FIA’s Divisional Office in Jalil Town, Gujranwala. The office, which is situated in the Eminabad sub-division, was left without power due to purported outstanding dues amounting to over 1 crore rupees. This action is widely perceived as vengeful, especially after the arrests and ongoing investigations into the overbilling scandal.
The standoff has escalated tensions between GEPCO and the FIA, with the former facing public and legal scrutiny for its officers’ misconduct. Meanwhile, the FIA continues its broader crackdown on electricity theft and overbilling, with 121 cases registered in Lahore in the past day alone. This highlights the agency’s commitment to rectifying systemic corruption and malpractices within utility services.
 were arrested for diverting electricity bill payments to personal accounts. The Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) probe into the matter led to an alleged retaliation by GEPCO, cutting power to the FIA's local office.){kind=link}