Two FIA officers held over Rs100m bribe deal to release MQM-L suspect

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested its two own officers accused of releasing a terror suspect in exchange for a Rs100 million bribe promise.

According to an FIA spokesperson, an FIR has been registered against a person, Noman Siddiqui, for his involvement in transferring money through bitcoins and crypto currency from Europe, including the United Kingdom.

He said the amount was allegedly generated from drug smuggling and some of the amount had been spent on terror activities as well. Siddiqui is said to be affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London. According to an FIA CTW report, the MQM-London’s Saleem Belgium had planned a bomb attack in Gulistan-e-Jauhar in December 2018, and MQM MPAs had participated in the programme where the bomb was planted. According to the CTW report, Siddiqui had provided the funds for the bomb blast.

“Two CTW inspectors were making a deal of Rs100 million in exchange for the release of the suspect, Noman Siddiqui, and both the inspectors have been arrested and a case has been registered against them according to the anti-corruption act,” the FIA spokesperson confirmed.

The suspects are In-charge Counter-Terrorism Wing Inspector Pervez and inquiry officer Inspector Aqeel, belonging to Sindh police, and a private person. In April, the FIA had arrested its former officer for his alleged involvement in corruption. According to an official of the agency, the FIA anti-corruption circle apprehended a former deputy director of the Cyber Crime Circle, Abdul Ghaffar. He was accused of taking Rs63 million from an IT company, and of that amount, he had already received Rs14 million.

He had allegedly extended undue benefit to the private IT company. Officials of the company were also nominated in the FIR as accused due to their role in abetment under Section 161 of the PPC. The agency had claimed to have obtained evidence. Ghaffar was on bail in an already registered case against him.