LPG quota scam: DG FIA summoned for contempt of court

Prime minister’s former media adviser accused in Rs630m fraud case .

ISLAMABAD: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director-General Tahsin Anwar Shah has been summoned in a contempt of court case for not arresting prime minister’s former media adviser, Mian Khurrum Rasool, and another accused in an Rs630 million fraud.

A larger bench of the Supreme Court (SC) headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary on Wednesday, has summoned the DG FIA on January 20.

The contempt case was filed by Rashid Rizvi advocate on behalf of his petitioners Karachi based businessmen Pervez Hussain and Sameer Hussain. The apex court also ordered the FIA authorities to arrest Rasool and produce him in court by the next date of hearing.

In his arguments,  Rizvi pleaded that his clients are reputed businessmen and that Rasool, in connivance with some government officials , defrauded his clients of Rs630 million on the pretext of getting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) quota from Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL). The quota was meant for Sara Gas (Pvt) Limited and Pak Delta Enterprises (Pvt) Limited .

He argued that Rasool arranged a series of meetings of his clients with some senior officials from the Petroleum Ministry and other government departments to show that he was well-connected with government functionaries.

Rasool received Rs630 million from the businessmen between August 2009 and November 2010, through cheques issued in the name of public sector entities like PARCO, PPL and TCP.

The main accused then opened an account in Askari Bank with fake names, which were similar to those of public sector oil and gas companies. The bank is reported to be in connivance with the accused.

Rizvi said his clients had taken the case to the Islamabad High Court which ordered FIA’s director general to arrest all accused on July 17, recover the money and repay it to the aggrieved petitioners.

Rizvi added that the FIA was being refrained from taking action against the accused by the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, which he said was tantamount to contempt of court.

It was after many unfulfilled promises that the businessmen realised they were being fooled by a man who was the media adviser the prime minister.

The aggrieved party had also moved the State Bank of Pakistan to take action against Askari Bank, but after getting an unsatisfactory response they moved the IHC.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2012.