Plea to oust FIA official from probe rejected

Physical remand of Moonis Elahi extended by three days.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday turned down the application of the Chaudarys of Gujrat to disassociate Additional Director General FIA Zafar Qureshi from the ongoing investigation of the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) land scam.

Zafar Qureshi informed the court that FIA has found incriminating evidence against Moonis Elahi and submitted the report. He is in FIA's custody. Investigation is in the final stages and Rs320 million have been recovered from him. Former state minister Habibullah Warraich and his son Mohsin Warraich surrendered Rs1.7 billion with which they purchased 804 kanals of land. The money has been deposited in the NIC account. Rs100 million have yet to be recovered from Mohsin Warriach who is absconding in Britian. His property worth Rs500 million has been confiscated.

Qureshi said that Nespak gave NIC the assessment report for the land after Ahmad Associates gave the wrong appraisal for 20 kanals. Acting Chairman of NIC Tariq Puri withheld the Nespak report from the investigation officer due to which huge financial losses have been incurred. The court reprimanded Puri for attempting to hide evidence.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudary directed the trial court to decide whether to grant bail to Moonis Elahi without prejudice. Elahi will be tried in accordance with the law, the Chief Justice remarked.

Director General Commercial Audit Karachi presented an audit report in which embezzlements of Rs7.75 billion have been highlighted in NIC's business deals.

Director FIA Moazzam Jah said the main accused Amin Qasim Dada has flown from Britain to Dubai according to the Emirates Airlines' passenger list. “A case should be registered against immigration officials since his name was on the Exit Control List,“ the CJP remarked.

SM Zafar said Qureshi's allegations about receiving death threats should be omitted from the record. Qureshi submitted that he will voluntarily disassociate himself from the investigation but the court refused. On the defendants' application, the court issued Qureshi a notice in which he has been asked to submit a written reply if it is convenient. He directed Qureshi to conclude the investigation and adjourned the hearing of the case for three weeks.

Meanwhile a judicial magistrate in Lahore extended the physical remand of Elahi by three days instead of seven as requested by the FIA in connection with the NIC land scam.

Hundreds of the party workers carrying flags assembled in the court premises to welcome Moonis when he arrived in an armoured vehicle.

Counsel Iqbal Bhatti informed the court that Moonis was implicated in the case in January 2011 by tampering with documents. First he was summoned as a witness but he was abroad. Later, his arrest warrants were issued. He maintained that Moonis was innocent. Muhammad Irfan Basra directed the FIA to produce him before the court by March 24.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2011.