http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8808376-pakistan-fia-officials-inam-ghani-dr-suleman-to-face-action FIA Directors Inam Ghani, Dr. Suleman To Face Action For Corruption
Politically Well-Connected Officials Living Beyond Known Means
Accused Of Hushing Up Inquiries To The Tune Of Billions Of Rupees
Tariq Khattak
Islamabad:
Federal Investigation Agency is intentionally defending main accused in famous money laundering cases filed against leading currency dealers of Pakistan working under the name of Khanani and Kalia International (KKI), insiders said.
Those who are said to be directly involved in the case include Mr. Inam Ghani, Director FIA Lahore and Mr. Dr. Suleman, Director FIA, Peshawar.
Both officers who enjoy questionable reputation and facing a number of internal as well as NAB inquiries are accused of destroying evidence in this critical case.
Inam Ghani, and Dr. Suleman, both politically well-connected officials live beyond their resources, have accumulated great wealth and hushed up inquiries to the tune of billions of rupees to support corrupt elements.
They have repeatedly been suspended, put under inquiries and removed from important position but these actions would not deter them as their political masters would soon rescue them.
It has already been reported in the allvoices that Dr. Suleman was DIG HQ in KP Police when multi-billion rupees scam was unearthed which is now being probed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Normally, officers under inquiry officers are not promoted, transferred or allowed ex Pakistan leave as it may affect the investigations process, sources said.
Mr. Suleman has already been promoted to BPS 20 despite being under inquiry what has already raised many eyebrows and now he is being transferred to FIA.
His posting has helped government to settle recently discovered multi-billion-rupees scams in various departments.
It may be mentioned here that the NAB is presently investigating a multi-billion-rupee arms purchase deal in KP after an official inquiry discovered serious irregularities and a huge loss to public exchequer.
Sources, coming back to FIA said that they have already lost the money laundering case filed against Abdul Munaf Kalia and Javaid Khanani in a district court in Karachi.
Now they have fielded an incomplete challan in district court Abbottabad to save culprits.
Mr Kalia and Mr Khanani, the directors of Khanani and Kalia International (KKI), one of the largest foreign exchange companies, were arrested by FIA in 2008 on the charges of money laundering.
They were accused of transferring foreign currency therefore cases were registered against them in Lahore, Karachi and Abbottabad.
In last two years not only have they been acquitted from the case in Karachi, it is likely that they might be let off scot-free from Abbottabad too.
This is because the final challan, which was filed by the Additional Director before court on Sept 22 last year, failed to mention the names of both the accused.
Because of this move, the both charged businessmen are no longer accused of smuggling billions of dollars out of the country.
Meanwhile, the FIA head office has ordered an inquiry against AD Tariq Pervaiz for not filing challans deliberately.
The wrongdoing was discovered seven months after the challans were filed in court, when the former DG FIA ordered a reinvestigation into the money laundering cases against Kalia and Khanani. He ordered this reinvestigation in the first week of March, after he was questioned about the matter in the Senate.
In fact, Tariq Pervaiz, the investigation officer in FIA Crime Circle Abbottabad, was granted permission to file challan against six accused but only four of them were named when it was filed in the court.
The challan does not mention either Kalia or Khanani despite the fact that their names were included in the Confidential Final Report.
The letter issued by the Director FIA KPK Dr Muhammad Suleman Khan says, "You intentionally did not include the name of two main accused namely Abdul Munaf Kalia and Javaid Khanani in the request of Challan."
In the Abbottabad case challans were delayed for five months.
"The filing of challan with four names could not have escaped the knowledge of Director, FIA KPK, Inam Ghani," the official said, adding that the entire case had been damaged.
Following the raid, the report filed by Investigation Officer Saleh Muhammad nominated Khanani, Kalia, Tariq Aziz and Wajid Aziz for money laundering in KPK.
During the final phase of inquiry in May 2009 IO Saleh Muhammad was transferred by Inam Ghani to FIA headquarters in Islamabad and the case was handed over to Tariq Pervez, who was then working as Assistant Director FIA, Peshawar Circle.
After he filed the challan, Pervaiz, was given a shoulder-promotion and made Acting Deputy Director FIA immigration by Inam Ghani, the director of the FIA.
The story of malpractices does not end here. In another glaring example of corruption, DG FIA, Malik Iqbal issued a letter to Additional Director FIA Zafar Qureshi to stop inquiry against former DG Waseem Ahmad and Director FIA Punjab, Inam Ghani which has been started by latter on their alleged involvement in hindering NICL's investigation and favouring Moonis Elahi.
But soon after the issuance of the letter, DG FIA, again gave go-ahead to the Additional Director General FIA, Zafar Qureshi to continue the process after the latter contacted former and briefed him regarding sensitivity of the matter, sources in FIA said.
Zafar Qureshi informed DG FIA that inquiry against both the accused was integral part of the investigation and it was an ongoing process which could not be stopped.
The DG FIA agreed with the investigation officer and asked him to resume his inquiry process.
It is worth mentioning here that former DG FIA and Director Punjab FIA were in hot waters now a days due to start of inquiry against them by Zafar Qureshi the head of the investigation team of NICL scam.
They were blamed by a former Director of FIA Mirza Sultan Saleem of being involved in hindering the investigation process of NICL scam. Mirza has submitted an affidavit in this regard with the investigation team and claimed that all the allegations levelled by him were true.
On which Zafar Qureshi had summoned both the officers a couple of days back but only Inam Ghani appeared before him and got his statement recorded.
--
--
Tariq Khattak,Columnist, Feature Writer,
Editor Pakistan Media Group &
Editor Commerce, Pakistan Observer,
Ali Akbar House, G-8 Markaz, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Cells: 0300/0333-9599007, Ph. 051-2852027/8. Fax 2262258
