Axact scandal: FIA vows to complete probe in 17 days

Officials say inquiry against Bol TV has no link with Axact’s degree scam.

KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) claimed on Sunday it would complete its investigation into the multi-million dollar fake degree scam involving Axact company within 17 days.

At the same time, officials of customs intelligence said the inquiry undertaken against Bol Network is related to a cache of smuggled equipment and gear that was installed for use at the television channel.



Addressing a news conference at his office, the FIA director in Sindh, Shahid Hayat, said they had already recovered sufficient documentary evidence to go to court against the accused company and win the case against it. "I am confirming this as a prosecutor in this case that through documents and internal emails we have [gathered] the proof to proceed in court with further charges against Axact,” Hayat said.

The FIA director, however, did not share any details, saying he would only answer questions related to areas on which the FIA had detailed supporting evidence.

"What I will say or share with you here today will be completely backed by documentary proof. I will not answer any other questions. Even at this moment, we have enough documentary proof to go to the court and prove it in a court of law," he said.

Hayat said the forensic experts had completed lots of work while they were still working to collect the remaining data.

Meanwhile, Director of Intelligence and Investigation – Customs Karachi Asif Marghoob Siddiqui said the inquiry against the Bol TV has no links with the Axact degree scandal.  “We raided Bol TV offices on the basis of concrete evidences pointing that the equipment and gadgets were imported illegally while import duty and taxes were also not paid by the channel,” he said.

Siddiqui pointed out that he was neither under pressure from any quarter nor his department was taking revenge from anyone.

Customs intelligence officials visited Bol TV’s office in Karachi several times and collected records related to the equipment and gadgets installed at its headquarters.

Earlier, Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation  issued a notice to Bol for illegally importing machinery and other equipment.

The notice sought receipts and other documents related to the import of all the goods as it claimed that import duty and taxes were also not paid by Bol.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2015.