Arms purchase scam: Court extends remand of former police chief

Ex-IGP Malik Naveed accused of misappropriation worth billions of rupees during his tenure from 2008-2010.

PESHAWAR:

An accountability court has extended former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) IGP Malik Naveed’s remand for 10 days in a case of alleged misappropriation of Rs7 billion in a weapons procurement deal. Naveed, who served as police chief from 2008-2010, has spent around 33 days in NAB’s custody since his arrest on November 20.

Naveed was produced before accountability court judge Wilayat Ali Khan for a remand extension on Monday as the one he was given on December 14 expired on Sunday, and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials claimed a few more days are needed for further information.



NAB Special Prosecutor Lajbar Khan informed the court according to the bureau’s investigation in the past few days, a total of Rs340 million in sales tax was supposed to be paid on the purchase of weapons for the police department. However, the tax was never paid, causing heavy losses to the national exchequer, he maintained.

“The accused had signed an agreement worth Rs90.6 million with a foreign company for procurement of weapons, but the amount was later paid to Majeed and Sons, a local company, which is against the law and needs to be investigated further,” said Lajbar.

The prosecutor stressed to the court the case was very important and included a huge amount of money, bank accounts and individuals, adding NAB would be able to recover the embezzled sum, which runs in billions, if Naveed’s remand was extended.

Counsel for the accused, Barrister Zahoorul Haq contended NAB had not recovered anything in its investigation. “They have no documentary evidence to prove the embezzlement Naveed is accused of,” he said.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge extended Naveed’s remand by 10 days.

A NAB official, requesting anonymity told The Express Tribune during his tenure, Naveed had signed a deal worth a total of Rs930 million with a foreign company for purchase of arms, but later approved the amount to be paid to Majeed and Sons.

“The amount was paid for the purchase of light machine guns, bulletproof jackets and heavy weapons. The minimum bid for the purchase of an AK-47 was Rs13,960 but Naveed bought 23,000 guns at Rs19,650 apiece,” said the official.

He further added the accused had offered to voluntarily return Rs40 million while he was in NAB’s custody, but his offer was rejected because the reference against him was of over Rs1.8 billion.

During the last hearing of the case on December 14, the accountability court was told another former IGP, Ihsan Ghani, had issued Rs2 billion on Naveed’s directives for procurement of weapons, which was illegal.

The court was informed Naveed also allegedly paid Rs220 million to Raza Khan, brother-in-law of former chief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti’s brother Ghazan Hoti, and Niaz Ali Shah, adviser to Haider Hoti in the previous government.

NAB arrested Naveed on November 20 and produced him before the court the next day wherein he was first granted a 14-day remand. On December 4, his remand was extended for 10 more days.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2013.