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OGRA scandal : SC may take up NAB plea against Sadiq’s bail today
By Amir Jalil Bobra
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) would take up a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) plea against the bail to Tauqir Sadiq, the prime accused of the multi-billion Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) scam, by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) today, sources said on Sunday.
The NAB sources disclosed that after securing the bail by the IHC, the prime accused of the mega scam issued life threats to the prime witnesses.
The NAB challenged Sadiq’s bail after receiving applications from the star witnesses about the threats. The Bureau prayed that Sadiq’s bail be cancelled and he be sent behind the bars, as some of the witnesses had now refused to testify before the Accountability Court (AC)-1, Islamabad, sources added.
The NAB has meanwhile dispatched letters to the authorities concerned to ensure security of the witnesses. According to sources, the federal watchdog has sent these protection letters to the inspector general of police Punjab, inspector general of police Sindh, Vehari district police officer (DPO) and Toba Tek Singh District Police Officer (DPO), asking them to make certain their protection.
Similarly, the Bureau has requested the authorities concerned that Dr Anwar Ali Sehto, Irfan Ahmed Khan, Shehzad Saleem Bhatti, Kashif Ishfaque, Zahid Latif and Hamid Mehmood be provided with necessary security arrangements till the completion of the trial, according to sources.
Last month, the IHC accepted the bail of former OGRA chairman Tauqir Sadiq as his counsel, Sardar Asmatullah, in his arguments, pleaded before the court that his client had been facing acute discrimination from the NAB side.
The counsel said his client was being victimised by the federal watchdog, as out of the three other accused, two were granted bail and the other nine had not been arrested yet.
Upon this, the court asked NAB prosecutor Saeedur Rehman as to why other accused persons were not being arrested. The prosecutor replied Sadiq was the main accused among others as being former OGRA head.
Advocate Saeedur Rehman said Sadiq was the principal accused in the Rs82 billion scam case, and had fled to Abu Dhabi after the apex court on November 25, 2011, declared his appointment illegal and ordered his arrest for corruption and misuse of authority.
He said the prime accused managed his escape from Pakistan despite the fact that he had been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL).
The two-judge bench of Moorul Haq Queshi and Riaz Ahmad Khan heard the bail plea filed by Sadiq.
After hearing the arguments of the two sides, the court accepted the bail against the deposit of two surety bonds worth Rs1 million each.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk