FIA fails to reach main criminal in sophisticated cases

KARACHI:An alleged criminal identified as Aftab Ahmed alias Atif Dollar is wanted to Interpol for many sophisticated crimes, including money laundering, match fixing and smuggling and has become a challenge for the investigation agencies, especially for the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Aftab alias Atif Dollar was wanted in various cases of money laundering and match-fixing by FIA Karachi’s Corporate Banking Circle (CBC) for the last four months but he was untouchable for security agencies. FIA’s sources said the agency has found approximately Rs900 million suspicious banking transaction in Atif Dollar’s bank accounts.

The same sources further claimed that the alleged accused reportedly has good relations with some senior bureaucrats, police officials, and businessmen. The sources in the FIA told ‘The News” that Atif Dollar was also wanted by Interpol in some cases of money-laundering and others, and also convicted by a UAE court in a money laundering case some three years back.

The FIA Karachi’s Corporate Banking Circle was investigating a high profile case of keeping Benami accounts, bank accounts in the name of other person without his knowledge and consent, money laundering, and parallel banking practices.

In the said case, FIA had arrested Mahendar Kumar, Naresh kumar alias KG and Naresh Kumar alias Jani, Faisal alias Buffalo and Jabbar alias Pan Mandi, who are allegedly associated with an international racket involving in money laundering and match-fixing in the last week of February. The sources said that during the raid, Aftab alias Atif Dollar managed to flee with his businessman friend, who also had relations with the gang. They added that a close relative of a senior police officer, who was originally the employee of the federal government, posted on deputation in another department in Karachi, was putting pressure and trying to lure FIA officials to give some favour to the alleged criminals Aftab alias Atif Dollar and to conclude the case.

On the other hand, the FIA authorities were also investigating the role of two recently promoted assistant directors of the agency having relations with the alleged criminals of the same case and leaking information regarding the progress of the cases.

Despite the passage of four months, the absconders, including Aftab Ahmed alias Atif Dollar, Umesh Kumar, Sushil Kumar, Dileep Kumar, Sajjad alias Bond and Waqas alias Prince, could not be traced yet.

The trial court and then Sindh High Court had rejected the bail plea of four accused Mahendar Kumar, Naresh kumar alias KG and Naresh Kumar alias Jani and Faisal alias Buffalo; however, Jabbar Ameen alias Pan Mandi succeeded in getting bail in the same case by the trial court. The FIA Karachi had recommended to the Ministry of Interior to put the names of absconders and their three aides who were arrested on ECL.

The News tried to get the FIA CBC’s version and called in-charge additional director Naveed Nisar Khuwaja and investigation officer inspector Muhammad Fareed for comments, and sent detailed text messages at their WhatsApp but did not get any response.