FIA director probing sugar scandal goes on leave

Deputy director handed over temporary charge of carrying out his duties

LAHORE:

FIA Punjab Director Muhammad Rizwan, who was leading the investigation of important cases including the sugar scandal, has gone on leave and Deputy Director Nazia Ambreen has been handed over the temporary charge of carrying out his duties.

Rizwan was probing corruption cases against leading political personalities including PML-N-President Shehbaz Sharif, who is also the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, and estranged PTI leader, sugar baron Jahangir Tareen.

Following the change in the political situation in the country, the officers involved in the investigation of the cases have started taking leaves to sideline themselves.

According to a notification issued by the FIA HR Deputy Director Headquarters, Rizwan, on his request, is taking leave with his complete salary from April 11.

On his return, he would be bound to report to the FIA headquarters.

Deputy Director Ambreen would replace him on a temporary basis.

On being contacted by The Express Tribune, Rizwan said he had taken a leave himself.

In November 2020, the FIA had registered cases against Tareen, his son, Shehbaz and his two sons and others in a multibillion rupee sugar scam under the money laundering, fraud and other charges.

Read Officers probing Shehbaz, Tareen recalled

An FIR was registered against Tareen, his son Ali Tareen under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating of public shareholders) and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code and r/w 3/4 of Anti Money Laundering Act.

Shehbaz and his sons — Hamza and Suleman— were booked under sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and 109 — financial fraud, impersonation and forgery — of the PPC and 5(2) and 5(3) — criminal misconduct — of Prevention of Corruption Act and r/w 3/4 of Anti Money Laundering Act.

The FIR had said during the course of inquiry it was noted that an amount of at least Rs1.2 billion was overpaid (transferred by Tareen) from the accounts of a listed public limited company (JDW Sugar Mills Ltd) to another company (JK Forming System Ltd, hereinafter JKFSL owned by his children) while purchasing the assets of the latter (JKFSL) at an exorbitant non-arm’s length purchase price of Rs4.35 billion in November 2013. During the course of present inquiry, it had transpired that the JDW Sugar Mills recorded a false disclosure in its annual audited financial statement of 2014.

The FIR against Shehbaz and his sons read that during the course of the FIA inquiry, it was learnt that total deposits amounting to over Rs25 billon (2008-18), identified so far, were received in the bank accounts of various low-wage employees of Ramzan Sugar Mills and Al-Arabia Sugar Mills and accounts of fake companies set up and controlled by the Sharif group.