Fraudster caught: Man who duped people into paying for fake jobs held by FIA

Zeeshan Habib offered 'jobs' in the FIA, KWSB, revenue board, etc

KARACHI: A man who hoodwinked people into paying him millions of rupees after promising them jobs has been caught by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Zeeshan Habib's arrest was declared by the FIA Corporate Crime Circle at a press conference on Tuesday. The officials hinted that some government officials are also involved in this fraud and they will be arrested soon.

"So far, 35 victims of such fraud have approached the FIA," said FIA Corporate Crime Circle's deputy director Kamram Attaullah, adding that Habib was the mastermind of an inter-provincial gang of fraudsters. "The good news is that we have apprehended the mastermind."

Read: Fraud complaint: FIA director summoned



This gang has collected millions of rupees from innocent citizens by issuing them fake recruitment letters for various federal and provincial departments, including the FIA, Sindh Police, Federal Board of Revenue, Excise, and Karachi Water and Sewerage Board.

"The gang took anywhere between Rs300,000 and Rs500,000 from innocent citizens to issue appointment and joining letters for each person," Attaullah explained. To make it appear legitimate, Habib would make salary accounts in banks in the name of these complainants and used to deposit cash payments in their accounts for the first few months. "After a couple of months, they 'fired' them from the job over one pretext or another."

A few complainants were also present at Attaullah's office during the news conference. "Habib promised me a job in the FIA as an ASI and charged Rs500,000 that I paid entirely," said a complainant, Asif Hussain. "Habib gave me an appointment letter for an ASI in the FIA along with a training and posting order." When Hussain verified the letter, he found out that the orders were faked.

Similarly, Habib had given an appointment letter to Zohaib Zafar and Ameerullah, who were given 'fake' jobs as ASIs in the FIA. It cost them Rs500,000 cash each. "Since these appointment letters were bogus, I used to visit his house every now and then and demanded my money back," said Zafar. "I saw so many people outside his house, asking him to pay them back. He had given fake appointment orders to all of them."

Zafar added that Habib's accomplices were Imran, who was working in the EDO office in Korangi, and another man Asif, who was working in the town office in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

Attaullah pointed out that they have identified government officials involved in this fraud and will arrest them soon.

On a question of the FIA raid at the offices of the land department at Civic Centre, he said that investigations are underway using the records seized from the offices.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2015.