‘No mention of sugar’ in cases against Tareen

Ag APP

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Tareen on Saturday said there was no mention of sugar in any of the “fictional” criminal complaints against him as he and his son Ali got their bails extended in one of the cases until May 3.

“All three FIRs (first information report) did not mention the rise in the price of sugar, but they picked up things relating to my business from eight to 10 years ago,” Tareen told reporters outside a banking court here.

According to Geo News, he called for people to read the three FIRs against him, saying there was no mention of sugar in any of them. “I have nothing to do with the increase in sugar price or the sugar mafia. No one said anything about a sugar case against Jahangir Tareen,” he said.

Tareen said a “fictional story” has been fabricated against him. He added that he did not know who was “doing this” to him, but “someone is”.

The special court of banking offence extended Tareen and his son’s interim bail in a case registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). They appeared before Judge Ameer Muhammad Khan on the expiry of their interim bail.

The petitioners’ counsel argued that the FIA issued summons to his clients with a delay and it summoned them on a day’s notice. He submitted that the reply of questions would be filed with the FIA till Monday.

However, an assistant director legal on behalf of agency argued that Jahangir Tareen and Ali Tareen had not provided data yet. The investigations would be completed once they provide the record, he added.

At this stage, the court noted that on the last hearing, the FIA had raised questions on its jurisdiction to hear the matter. To this, the petitioners’ counsel argued that the court was empowered to hear the matter.

Subsequently, the court extended interim bail of the pair till May 3 and directed the agency to complete investigations as soon as possible.

The FIA had registered three FIRs against Jahangir Tareen, his son Ali Tareen, and others under charges of money laundering, misappropriation of shareholders money and fraud.