OGRA scam: IHC declares Tauqir Sadiq's sentence null and void

On May 7, a court in Rawalpindi had given Sadiq a three year sentence for non-attendence in court.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court declared former Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) chief Tauqir Sadiq’s three-year sentence null and void, Express News reported on Monday.

A hearing was presented in front of a two-member bench, which, after evidence was presented by both sides, voided Sadiq’s sentence. His request for bail was subsequently also dismissed.

Sadiq was the main accused in the Rs82 billion scam and, according to an interim reference provided by NAB, had provided undue financial relief to firms and individuals and issued licences for CNG stations on bogus documents.

On May 7, a court in Rawalpindi had given Sadiq a three-year sentence for non-attendance in court. The NAB prosecuter argued that Sadiq had fled to Dubai and according to NAB Ordinance Clause 31, he could be tried for non-attendance.

Sadiq’s advocate said that his client was charged based on false statements after National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials brought him back to Pakistan from Dubai.

Advocate Sardar Asmatullah had maintained in his client’s bail application that he was put behind bars while NAB had failed to produce any substantial proof. He had argued that his client had remained in custody for more than 60 days and the authorities had failed to recover anything from his possession.

According to NAB's interim reference, Ogra Member (Gas) Mansoor Muzaffer Ali, Member (Finance) Kamal Farid Bijarani and Chairman’s Staff Officer Jawad Jameel were also involved in the scam.

On November 25 last year, the apex court had struck down Sadiq’s appointment as Ogra chairman.  He had fled the country and NAB officials had brought him back to Pakistan on July 9, 2013. He was kept at the bureau’s headquarters and produced for the first time in court in July.