ATC orders FIA to register criminal case against court officials

They have confessed about their involvement in a corruption scandal


Rizwan Shehzad January 13, 2018
PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to register a criminal case against two officials performing duties at ATC and Environmental Protection Tribunal over their alleged involvement and confession in a corruption scandal.

ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand ordered FIA to register case against a lower division clerk in ATC, Masood Ahmad, and an upper division clerk deployed in Environmental Protection Tribunal, Muhammad Naeem, for putting fake signatures of another ATC judge on cheques and bills for the release of over Rs700,000.

In a letter addressed to the director general FIA, the court through its ‘Nazir’ has sought immediate registration of a criminal case against the culprits and sent relevant documents comprising 87 pages to the FIA.

The letter revealed that Masood Ahmad has “returned an amount of Rs.4,41,000/- through a written application wherein it has been admitted that he put fake signatures.”

Nazir Syed Shahbaz Ali stated in the letter that while perusing the record it was found that fake billing by putting bogus signatures of Syed Kausar Abbas Zaidi, the then Judge of ATC-I in Islamabad, had been carried out by Ahmad, who was previously looking after the matters of accounts.

The Nazir added that Ahmad remained successful by releasing cheques in the name of Mian Business & Services with active collusion of Naeem, who was running the affairs of the said firm.

Details of 17 fake bills and cheques pertain to different expenses, including repair of transport charges, stationery charges, miscellaneous charges etc.

On the other hand, sources said that the FIA has yet to register case as it has asked the court to first suspend Ahmad and only then the investigation agency can book him. Ahmad, they said, is a permanent employee of law ministry and was working on deputation in ATC.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13th, 2018. 

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