Senior FIA official, subordinate suspended by SHC

 Orders provincial FIA director to initiate an inquiry
against the two for corruption and inefficiency

Karachi

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday directed the Federal Investigation Agency’s provincial director to conduct an inquiry against two of its officers, including the director of the anti-human trafficking cell, against charges of corruption and inefficiency. A report was sought within one week.

Director of anti-human trafficking cell Ameer Akbar Khan and his sub-ordinate Javed Iqbal were suspended by the court till completion of inquiry.

The court observed that the officers despite issuance of several non-bailable arrest warrants had failed to apprehend a convicted human smuggler, Anees Ahmed Khan, who had not been attending court hearings since 2006; apprehension orders were issued after the convict jumped his bail.

SHC further maintained that the FIA’s failure was a clear show of power that the absconder possessed for he had comfortably been managing his affairs despite having been convicted.

The court observed that the director and his subordinate had assured the court that they would arrest the absconder and produce him in court on April 5, 2016, but could not deliver on their assurances. They further sought one month’s time - May 17 – and failed again, upon which the court was constrained to order the offices to produce the convict within one week or the provincial director would be summoned to explain the investigative agency’s performance.

It was following this order that the officials previously seeking a month managed to produce the man in court in two days, which indicated that both the officials were corrupt and inept. The court observed that the time wasted by the FIA officials despite the convict being within their reach amounted to protecting the absconder.

The appellant was sent back to prison to serve out his sentence as he jumped the bail granted to him while the appeal was pending.

Home secy summoned

The court ordered the provincial home secretary to appear before the court and explain how police officials practically refused to arrest an absconding appellant on grounds of not being permitted to carry out his arrest by the home department.

While hearing a review appeal filed by Mohammad Saeed, convicted by the trial court in a car snatching case, DSP Arshad Riaz and SHO Aram Bagh police station Tariq Memood refused to execute the warrants of arrest issued against the appellant on ground that the home secretary had not accorded permission to do so. Taking notice of the officials conduct, the court directed the home secretary to explain the department’s objections against the arrest.

The convict had jumped bail during suspension of his sentence in 2005; the police had not been able to arrest him despite the warrants since April 7, 2010.

KPT chairman’a bail

The SHC extended the interim protective bail of former Karachi Port Trust (KPT) chairman till June 28 in a case pertaining to illegal appointments, initiated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Aslam Hayat was alleged to sanctioned illegal appointments during tenure of former Ports and Shipping Minister Babar Ghouri.