Ephedrine scam: Ex-DG health turns approver
LHC directs trial court to record Dr Rasheed Jumma’s statement afresh.
RAWALPINDI:
In a new twist in the ephedrine chemical scam, one of the accused has agreed to become approver and spill the beans. Former director general of health, Dr Rasheed Jumma, one of the accused in the ephedrine quota allocation case, has agreed to record his statement afresh.
A high court bench on Tuesday directed the trial court to record the former health DG’s statement as prosecutor’s witness and issued notices to the investigation agency and the accused in a criminal revision petition.
Justice Ijaz Ahmed and Justice Ali Baqir Najafi of the LHC Rawalpindi bench issued notices to the accused, who has now opted to become the prosecutor’s witness, and the investigation agency, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), in this regard.
The two-judge LHC bench, which is also hearing Dr Jumma’s pre-arrest bail and former Drug Controller Abdul Sattar’s post-arrest bail pleas, deferred the matter till July 3.
Dr Jumma, nominated for approving illegal allotment of quotas of ephedrine, has volunteered to become a state witness in the case against other accused.
Prosecutor Wasim Ahmed informed the division bench that the investigation agency earlier this month had requested the Special Trial Court for Control of Narcotics Substance to record Dr Jumma’s statement. But the trial court directed the prosecution that they themselves can also record the approver’s statement. The investigation agency then petitioned the LHC to direct the trial court to record the former DG’s statement.
ANF arrested chief executive of two pharmaceutical companies — Danas, Islamabad, and Berlex, Multan — for obtaining ephedrine import quota and diverting it for domestic consumption.
Asad Shafique, another former DG health has also been arrested for his alleged role in the scandal. The ANF has also obtained warrants for arrest of former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin and MNA Ali Musa Gilani.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2012.
In a new twist in the ephedrine chemical scam, one of the accused has agreed to become approver and spill the beans. Former director general of health, Dr Rasheed Jumma, one of the accused in the ephedrine quota allocation case, has agreed to record his statement afresh.
A high court bench on Tuesday directed the trial court to record the former health DG’s statement as prosecutor’s witness and issued notices to the investigation agency and the accused in a criminal revision petition.
Justice Ijaz Ahmed and Justice Ali Baqir Najafi of the LHC Rawalpindi bench issued notices to the accused, who has now opted to become the prosecutor’s witness, and the investigation agency, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), in this regard.
The two-judge LHC bench, which is also hearing Dr Jumma’s pre-arrest bail and former Drug Controller Abdul Sattar’s post-arrest bail pleas, deferred the matter till July 3.
Dr Jumma, nominated for approving illegal allotment of quotas of ephedrine, has volunteered to become a state witness in the case against other accused.
Prosecutor Wasim Ahmed informed the division bench that the investigation agency earlier this month had requested the Special Trial Court for Control of Narcotics Substance to record Dr Jumma’s statement. But the trial court directed the prosecution that they themselves can also record the approver’s statement. The investigation agency then petitioned the LHC to direct the trial court to record the former DG’s statement.
ANF arrested chief executive of two pharmaceutical companies — Danas, Islamabad, and Berlex, Multan — for obtaining ephedrine import quota and diverting it for domestic consumption.
Asad Shafique, another former DG health has also been arrested for his alleged role in the scandal. The ANF has also obtained warrants for arrest of former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin and MNA Ali Musa Gilani.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2012.