Exam computerisation: IT consultant, analyst granted bail

Accused of misappropriation, fraud and financial, professional irregularities in the computerisation of the exams

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday granted bail to Dr Majid Naeem, former IT consultant for Punjab’s Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISEs), who is accused of misappropriation, fraud and financial and professional irregularities in the computerisation of the examination system. Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi also granted bail to Mian Tariq Masood, a systems analyst at the Lahore BISE. The court directed both to furnish surety bonds of Rs500,000 each. The petitioners’ counsel submitted that his clients were nominated in the FIR  registered under Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant) and 420 (cheating and dishonesty) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Higher Education Department Section Officer Arshad Mehmood  with malicious intent. He submitted that the FIR mentioned no date or time and named no witnesses. He said that no specific allegations were levelled against the accused in the FIR. He said the inquiry report on the basis of which the FIR was registered also did not present any evidence. He said the judge had dismissed their bail pleas without reason.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2012.