Hajj corruption case: Lead investigator moves top court against FIA DG

Accuses the DG of sabotaging the investigation process.

ISLAMABAD:

The lead investigator in the Hajj corruption case has moved the Supreme Court against the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for allegedly sabotaging the investigation, the Express Investigation Cell (EIC) has learned.

According to reliable sources, Hussain Asghar, the director of FIA’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and lead investigator in the case, filed a special reference requesting the court to declare FIA chief Anwar Virk a proclaimed offender.

In the reference, Asghar maintained that Virk’s refusal to take former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani’s case to the Rawalpindi special judge (central) was tantamount to ‘sabotaging’ the investigation process in the Hajj scandal. The investigator also sought the court’s permission for arresting Gilani for his connection to the case.

A three-member apex court bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, is already hearing the case. Despite EIC’s repeated attempts, Virk could not be contacted for his version on the events. Asghar too refrained from commenting on the issue when contacted, saying, “I am investigating the matter under the court’s directions and will say what is necessary at the same forum.”

Asghar was appointed as a special investigator in the Hajj corruption case by the court. Asghar’s investigations reportedly revealed the role Gilani, his elder son Abdul Qadir and the latter’s close friend Zain Sukhera played in the corruption scam. The written statements of the senior officials established that the former premier violated rules and regulations, and misused his office to appoint desired persons like Sukhaira and Rao Shakeel to important offices.



Shakeel was appointed as Hajj DG two months before the 2009 Hajj operation. He was already being investigated for corruption by the National Accountability Bureau at the time. Sukhera, whom Gilani appointed as adviser on information technology, conceded he did not have the required qualifications for the post during the course of investigation.

The FIA has documentary evidence that Abdul Qadir Gilani used Sukhera’s name to import bulletproof Land Cruisers. The agency had summoned both of them for their role in the case, but they refused to join the investigations.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2013.