Charges against ex-Ogra chairman: NAB, FIA given 3 weeks to comply with SC directives

KHUDAYAR MOHLA

ISLAMABD: Supreme Court on Monday gave three weeks to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to comply with its earlier directives against former chairman Oil and gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) Tauqir Sadiq, who is allegedly involved in a billions of rupees embezzlement.

A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, was hearing a contempt of court case against former Ogra chairman Tauqir Sadiq.

On Nov 25 last year, the court had declared his appointment as Ogra chairman illegal and ordered NAB to investigate corruption cases against him and submit to the court its findings within 45 days.

During the course of hearing, the bench appeared perturbed over the absence of Sadiq and said that if he needed any relief he should appear before the apex court.

Dr Abdul Basit, the counsel for Sadiq, contended that his client had gone to the US and would appear before the court if needed. To which, the Chief Justice said that “Tauqir is a fugitive” and how he could avoid court proceedings.

Dr Basit submitted that it was just a misunderstanding and reiterated that Sadiq would be present in the court anytime soon. However, the bench barred Abdul Basit from advancing any further arguments.

Deputy Prosecutor General NAB Fauzi Zafar told the bench that Sadiq left the country, although his name was on Exit Control List (ECL).

The NAB informed the bench that the FIA had been taken into the loop to investigate Sadiq’s exit from the country with the help of Integrated Boarder Management System (IBMS). 

The Chief Justice inquired from FIA and NAB officials to explain how Sadiq managed to travel to New York. He asked the Advocate on Record Arshad Chaudhry that how he was presenting wakalatnama on behalf of an absconder.

During the course of hearing, the Chief Justice

observed: “Chairman National Accountability Bureau Admiral Fasih Bukhari (retd) was flouting Supreme Court orders”.

Earlier on August 7, the NAB submitted a report to the apex court in which Tauqir Sadiq was accused of causing a loss of Rs 83 billion to the national exchequer. But the bench had rejected the report because of the bureau’s failure to arrest the big fish roaming freely.

The court had ordered the NAB chairman to submit a concise report bearing his signature suggesting efforts to recover the Rs 83 billion embezzled money and follow-up actions against the people involved. During the proceedings, the NAB presented the report. According to which, Ogra increased unaccounted for gas (UFG) from 5 to 7 percent, causing a loss of Rs 44 billion to national kitty. The court observed that the NAB Chairman did not go through his own prepared report and that he only signed it.

Later, the hearing was adjourned for three weeks.