ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: Former chairman Central Board of Revenue A R Siddiqui was indicted by an accountability court here on Tuesday in the SGS corruption reference. The court adjourned the hearing for Thursday with a direction to frame charges against Asif Ali Zardari.
Mr Zardari has already been convicted by another accountability court for seven years rigorous imprisonment in the Pakistan Steel Mills corruption case.
Accountability judge Mansoor Ali Khan while framing the charges held Mr Siddiqui responsible for awarding a pre-shipment inspection contract to Societe Generale Surveillance (SGS) by misusing his official authority as holder of a public office allegedly in collusion with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari, then a federal minister and member national assembly. The pre-shipment inspection contract was awarded on Sept 29, 1994.
Mr Siddiqui, who was appointed on contract as the chairman CBR on July 5, 1994, denied the allegations and said that he will fight the charges.
The judge while framing the charges stated that Mr Siddiqui awarded the contract through corrupt, dishonest and illegal means to obtain pecuniary advantages through commission and kickbacks from Benazir Bhutto and her husband Mr Zardari. The commissions were earlier agreed to be paid by the SGS to be submitted in the bank accounts of Off-Shore companies allegedly operated by their fiduciary agent Jens Schlegilmilch.
The off-shore companies include Bomer Finance Incorporated, Mareston Securities Incorporated and Nassam Overseas Incorporated of which, the reference alleged, both Benazir and Asif were the beneficiaries.
The same court had earlier issued arrest warrants against Mr Siddiqui. Later he appeared before the court.
The same court has already convicted Benazir Bhutto for three years under section 31A of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance in the SGS reference after declaring her proclaimed offender.
The prosecution was holding both Ms Bhutto and Mr Zardari responsible for awarding the preshipment inspection contract to the Messers SGS in consideration of six per cent commission of total amount received by the company from the government.
