LAHORE: A massive corruption scandal has surfaced as the Punjab Mines and Minerals Department officials and others have been alleged of extracting gold worth billions of rupees from Indus River near Attock Khurd village in Attock.

The Punjab Anti-Corruption Department has lodged a case against the suspects in this regard and formed a probe team, headed by the director and deputy director of the anti-corruption department.

Ex-director general Mines and Mineral Department Zafar Javed, ex-deputy director Rashid Latif, former managers Rafiullah Khan and Rizwan Saqib Bajwa, ex-geologist Usman Ali, and contractor Mukhtar Ahmed have been named in the FIR.

The First Information Report (FIR) read that placer gold deposits were created for illegally extracting not just gravel and sand along the riverbank but large amount of gold as well.

Initial findings revealed huge irregularities and misuse of the authority. It was found out that the contract was illegitimately given to a private company on low price, Rs100 million rather than its real price of Rs303 million.