Aallowed the FIA, Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh and four members of his management team to Islamabad. PHOTO: MOHAMMAD NOMAN/EXPRESS
A sessions court allowed the FIA on Wednesday to shift the detained CEO of Axact and four other officials to Islamabad for investigation of another case.
The agency had detained the Axact CEO Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh and four members of his management team on May 27th. The five Viqas Atique, Zeeshan Anwar, Mohammad Sabir, Zeeshan Ahm¬ed and the CEO stand accused of allegedly preparing and selling fake degrees from fictitious universities. On June 8th the court had remanded all the suspects to jail following their custody to the FIA for interrogation.
On Wednesday, the FIA authorities filed an application stating that the accused were booked in another case lodged at FIA police station in Islamabad.
Read: ‘Fake degree empire’ collapses: Axact CEO nailed
FIA stated that since suspects were not needed for questioning in Karachi they should be allowed to be shifted to Islamabad for investigation.
District South’s additional district and sessions judge, Sikandar Ameer Pahore, allowed the FIA to move Axact chief and four others Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh and four members of his management team to Islamabad.
The agency had initiated probe against Axact on the interior minister’s order after the International New York Times published a report against it last month. The report stated that AXACT was allegedly selling fake diplomas and degrees online through hundreds of fictitious schools and making millions of dollars annually.
Read: Axact — the new “unbelievable”
FIA contended that during inquiry incriminating articles were recovered from the possession of the suspects. They were booked in a case under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), and 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating). Other charges levied included Section 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 472 (making counterfeit seal, etc. with intent to commit forgery). Among other charges section 36 and 37 of Electronic Transaction Ordinance, 2002 and Section 3 and 4 of Anti-money Laundering Act, 2010 were also levied.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 25th, 2015.
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