The National Accountability Bureau is set to seek separation of additional prosecutor, Haroon Rasheed Cheema today (Monday) from investigation of the Double Shah scam for his alleged collusion with the accused.
Investigation director Irshadul Haq told The Express Tribune that during the hearing of a bail plea filed by Syed Sibtul Hassan Gilani alias Double Shah on Monday, he would request the Lahore High Court to separate Cheema from the case.
Haq said Cheema and a former NAB director general had struck a ‘secret’ deal with the accused and assured him that they would secure bail for him, his brother Syed Ziaul Hassan Gilani, their associate Chan Peer and others. He said that consequently the accused had not paid Rs1.93 billion – first installment of the Rs5.4 million he had agreed to pay in return for the NAB forgoing prosecution. He said the ownership deeds of the property Gilani had submitted as collateral for the remaining payment were also fakes.
He said if the accused got a bail the NAB would never be able to recover the entire Rs9.83 billion he had taken from more than 40,000 people under a ploy that he would double their amounts in 30 to 90 days.
Under the plea bargain approved by an accountability court in 2010, Gilani had to deposit Rs1.93 billion in cash and surrender assets worth the remaining amount as a a guarantee that he would repay the amount later.
Haq said Cheema had not informed him or additional director Ehtram Dar, who was the case officer and the investigation officer, Raheela, about the Monday’s hearing.
He said Cheema had also not informed him and other officials concerned about the April 27 hearing of a bail application moved by Syed Ziaul Hassan Gilani, brother of the principal accused Sibtul Hassan Gilani.
Speaking on anonymity, some NAB officials accused Cheema of transferring an investigation officer, Allah Rakha, in 2010 because he was not cooperating with him in the case. Rakha was replaced by the current invetsigation officer, Raheela.
The NAB Punjab had arrested Syed Sibtul Hassan Gilani alias Double Shah, his brother Syed Ziaul Hassan Gilani, Chan Peer and others and has so far recovered Rs930 million from them. Of this, the NAB Punjab has reimbursed Rs380 million to 26,000 of his ‘depositors’.
Additional prosecutor, Haroon Rasheed Cheema declined comment.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2011.
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