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Saturday, January 19, 2013
SC orders NAB to arrest ex-OGRA chief by 22nd* Directs action against those officials who appointed Sadiq
By Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday expressed anger with NAB for failure to arrest former OGRA chairman Tauqir Sadiq and granted the bureau and FIA time until January 22 for the purpose.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry made the observation while hearing the case pertaining to corruption in OGRA when Sadiq was its chairman. The court was displeased after NAB presented a report on the case instead of producing Sadiq before the bench as per the court’s orders.
The bench directed NAB to expedite efforts for the arrest of the former OGRA chief and submit a report on the next hearing. The chief justice said that Sadiq travelled in the Senate’s cars and therefore one can infer how he went outside the country. The chief justice inquired what steps the NAB took to arrest the people who were involved in the appointment of Tauqir Sadiq as OGRA chairman.
Justice Jawwad remarked that so far neither of them has been arrested nor have references been filed in the court. He directed NAB to proceed against those officials who have appointed Sadiq. Deputy Prosecutor General Chaudhry Mazhar informed the court that the record was with another NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Fozi Zafar, and he was in hospital.
The NAB lawyer told that for the arrest of Sadiq a team has been constituted. Justice Jawwad said that for the last three days the team was abroad. Meanwhile, the chief justice said that acting on the court order in Shahzeb murder case the Sindh Police brought the accused from abroad, so why cant NAB bring back the accused from the UAE.
Justice Jawwad noted that NAB could not arrest an accused who was sitting in its office. He inquired how much money had the NAB recovered from the 40 bank accounts of Sadiq. He said that NAB acts only one day before the hearing of the case and observed that investigation has revealed that the former OGRA chairman traveled in a Senate car. The NAB investigation officer said that his was pointed out to the motorway police but they did not cooperate.
The court observed that it had become its responsibility to assist the NAB and motorway police. The motorway police neither contacted the NAB investigating officer nor inquired from Senate who was using its cars. On the request of NAB the court adjourned the hearing until January 22 and ordered NAB to arrest Sadiq before the next hearing.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk