Health scare: NICL case accused shifted to hospital

Abdul Malik shifted to emergency ward as a result of backbone and chest problems.

LAHORE: The NICL scam beneficiary, Abdul Malik, was shifted to a hospital on Wednesday, The Express Tribune learnt.

The accused, who was handed over to the FIA by the Court on December 28, 2010 after being given a four-day physical remand, was shifted to the emergency ward of Services Hospital as a result of backbone and chest problems.

Malik, who is a manager at the firm run by Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday for setting up a fake account in Allied Bank Ltd, Lahore Airport Branch, under the name of Adil, a resident of Khanewal. Malik then operated the account himself and withdrew Rs320 million out of the Rs2.75 billion received from the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) in two dubious land purchase deals by the Warraich family.

The FIA investigators, despite a lapse of 48 hours, have failed to uncover whether the amount withdrawn by Malik was spent or if it was transferred.

The FIA Punjab Director Zafar Ahmad Qureshi told The Express Tribune that the accused was shifted to the emergency ward of Services Hospital due to backbone and chest problems and that his medical check-up and tests had been conducted but the decision in terms of him being admitted in the hospital or discharged would be made after his test reports were received on December 30.

Qureshi said that most relevant records in the case have been received from authorities concerned while more records are being sought from quarters concerned after taking into account Malik’s recorded statements. Qureshi said that investigations were underway and a breakthrough in the case is expected soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2010.