Illegal activity: FIA detectives uncover massive property scam
Agency’s director alleges that govt officials are involved.
KARACHI:
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) busted a group involved in the printing of fake revenue tickets, stamps, bank receipts and other documents used in property sales and transfers.
FIA Director Moazzam Ansari said that the agency had received reports of a group that was active in property scams.
Subsequently they lured a gang member, Mohammad Azeem, under the pretext of using his services to buy the counterfeit documents.
A team lead by FIA Assistant Director Abbas Baloch met Azeem near Disco Bakery in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and arrested him after he produced the fake documentation. FIA officials seized several more fake stamps, revenue tickets and receipts from the National Bank City Court branch after a search of Azeem’s car.
Initial interrogations of the suspect revealed that the group was using a printing press in Orangi Town to print their fake documents. However, the accused was unaware of its precise location.
An FIA team then raided Azeem’s house and seized more fake documents and stamps of the registrar’s office. An approximate loss of Rs45 million had been caused to the national exchequer due to this scam and that further raids to arrest Azeem’s accomplices were underway. Officials of the revenue department, registrar’s office and National Bank were also part of the group, said the FIA director.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 17th, 2011.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) busted a group involved in the printing of fake revenue tickets, stamps, bank receipts and other documents used in property sales and transfers.
FIA Director Moazzam Ansari said that the agency had received reports of a group that was active in property scams.
Subsequently they lured a gang member, Mohammad Azeem, under the pretext of using his services to buy the counterfeit documents.
A team lead by FIA Assistant Director Abbas Baloch met Azeem near Disco Bakery in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and arrested him after he produced the fake documentation. FIA officials seized several more fake stamps, revenue tickets and receipts from the National Bank City Court branch after a search of Azeem’s car.
Initial interrogations of the suspect revealed that the group was using a printing press in Orangi Town to print their fake documents. However, the accused was unaware of its precise location.
An FIA team then raided Azeem’s house and seized more fake documents and stamps of the registrar’s office. An approximate loss of Rs45 million had been caused to the national exchequer due to this scam and that further raids to arrest Azeem’s accomplices were underway. Officials of the revenue department, registrar’s office and National Bank were also part of the group, said the FIA director.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 17th, 2011.