FIA zonal director orders disposal of inquiries, money-laundering cases

The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) zonal director has ordered the disposal of inquiries and anti-money laundering cases within three months.

The spokesman for the FIA Sindh said on Tuesday Director FIA Sindh Zone-II Mohammad Younus Chandio had ordered speedy disposal of related inquiries and Anti-Money Laundering Act cases pending for more than three months.

He called upon the circle head to review all inquiries and investigations minutely at the circle level and submit reports to his office on a monthly basis. It was also directed that the officers should keep transparency and merit in inquiries and investigations.

Presiding over meeting to review the progress of the Zonal Board held at the FIA Office in Karachi on Tuesday, FIA Director Chandio said efforts were being made to ensure maximum transparency while conducting inquiries and investigations in different cases.

He said raids were being conducted and fresh inquiries initiated by the FIA Crime and Anti-Human Trafficking (AHT) Circle of Sukkur of Sindh Zone-II. He further said permission for the registration of cases was granted, and approval for the submission of final challans were reviewed and allowed.

Some inquiries were referred to the heads of the departments for departmental actions if any illegality and irregularity was found at their end, and the same would be reported for legal actions as per law, he said.

The zonal director directed the circle heads and all the IOs to reduce the pendency of cases pertaining to 2019 and 2020 without fail. The board meeting reviewed the agenda items including progress made on the registration of Anti-Money Laundering Act cases, raids and traps, the registration of fresh cases in respect of hawala and hundi, and the disposal of pending inquiries/investigations.