Missing NCCIA officer turns up in FIA custody

A missing official of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA),who was reportedly abducted from Islamabad earlier this month, has turned out to be in the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Last week, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had granted the Islamabad Police one more week to trace NCCIA Deputy Director Muhammad Usman.

In a petition filed for his recovery, Usman's wife Rozina had alleged that four armed individuals had abducted her husband on October 14.

However, according to an October 29 short order from Lahore Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo, Usman was in the FIA's custody and remanded in three-day custody with directions to produce him before the district court on Saturday.

According to the remand request from the FIA's investigating officer, the NCCIA official was arrested on Wednesday in connection with a case of colluding with other NCCIA officials, misusing their authority and extorting bribes.

Usman was nominated in the case registered on Monday by Aroob Jatoi, the wife of YouTuber Saadur Rehman alias Ducky Bhai, who was arrested in a case pertaining to promoting gambling apps on social media.

Apart from Usman, six NCCIA officials from Lahore and Islamabad NCCIA Deputy Director Ayaz Khan and Inspector Salman Aziz were also nominated in the case.