SUKKUR: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is said to have started a probe into Rs1bn embezzlement in the funds of NBP`s Military Road branch, Sukkur.

The fraud came to light in the branch`s audit report. The auditors first found around Rs150m, deposited in the accounts of the Sukkur Accountability Court, Sindh Revenue Board and other departments, missing and then unearthed misappropriation of other hefty amounts deposited in different accounts.

The matter was referred to the top management of the bank and the federal law ministry. Finally, the case was sent to the FIA for a thorough investigation, sources in the branch said.

They said that the total amount unaccounted for appeared to be close to Rs1bn.

The branch manager, Mansoor Ahmed Soomro, is currently out of the country.

In its referral letter, the federal law ministry has apprehended that the DDO (drawing and disbursing officer), registrar and the bank manager might be involved in the scam.

Therefore, it said, the bank was not liable to restore the money.

An initial inquiry into the transactions made at the branch led NBP`s fraud investigation team to believe that the misappropriated amounts were parked in Karachi`s certain residential and commercial projects. Some of the amounts were used to procure of expensive vehicles.