Former Ogra chief Tauqir Sadiq. PHOTO: FILE.
An accountability court on Friday extended the physical remand of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) ex-chairman Tauqeer Sadiq by two weeks and directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to present him on August 16.
Sadiq, the main accused in the Rs82 billion scam in Ogra, has been in the NAB’s custody since July 10 on three weeks’ physical remand.
He appeared before the court on Friday where NAB sought two more weeks and the court handed him over to the authority till August 16.
During the hearing, NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Barrister Saeedur Rehman informed the court that the finance department of Ogra has provided fresh evidence of a Rs26 billion misappropriation. As such, he said the authority needs more time to investigate the ex-chief of Ogra.
However, Sadiq had alleged that NAB wanted him to name a political figure of Pakistan Peoples Party.
Investigation Officer Waqas Ali Khan told the court that Sadiq’s physical remand is essential to interrogate him for the fresh evidence provided by the Ogra’s finance department.
However, Sardar Asmatullah Khan, the counsel for Sadiq, opposed further remand of his client and termed it unjust. He claimed that there was no need for Sadiq’s physical custody and requested the court to grant him bail.
“Since the arrival of my client in the country, the court has sent him into NAB custody twice, however the investigation failed to prove anything,” he argued.
However,the court further extended Sadiq’s physical remand till August 16 and directed NAB to present him on August 16.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 3rd, 2013.
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