KARACHI, Nov 2: An accountability court ordered on Wednesday the release of a director of a pharmaceutical company, who was facing charges of causing Rs90 million to the national exchequer, after accepting his plea of bargain.
Abdur Razzaque of the Tando Allahyar-based Ahson Drug Company was ordered to be released by Judge Hasan Feroze of the AC-4 after he paid a down payment of Rs20m in the shape of two demand drafts in the favour of the National Accountability Bureau.
Earlier, the then judge of AC-1, Ms Qaiser Iqbal, had convicted three drug controllers of the Federal Drugs Control Administration in the same case and sentenced them to a four-year term in each reference.
The judge had also imposed a fine of Rs3 million each in each case on Dr. Mohammed Tanveer Alam, Rehmatullah Baig and Adbul Sami Mangrio, who issued consumption certificates to the Ahson Drug Company to achieve personal gains and caused huge losses to the national exchequer.
The FDCA officials were arrested on July 3, 2003 by the NAB for committing malpractices and corruption in the issuance of “consumption certificates” to the Tando Adam-based pharmaceutical firm.
During the course of the investigation, the chief executive of the pharmaceutical firm, Abdul Hamid, and his brother Abdul Razzaq, moved a plea bargain to the NAB chairman agreeing to pay back Rs60 million. Subsequently, the NAB withdrew legal proceedings against them.
However, the two brothers deposited only a down payment of Rs7 million and defaulted on the remaining amount. The NAB filed a fresh reference against the two brothers, who were subsequently arrested.
The two brothers again moved a plea bargain to the NAB chairman and Abdul Hamid died in jail custody while their plea was still pending approval.
Special public prosecutor Naeem Tanoli filed an application on the basis of acceptance of plea bargain of Abdul Razzaque by the NAB chairman. He informed the court that the accused had agreed to pay his liability to the extent of Rs30.475 million.
He submitted before the court that Abdur Razzaq paid a down payment of Rs20 million and the remaining amount would be paid in two equal instalments within six months.
According to prosecution, the pharmaceutical firm imported a huge quantity of different raw material on the pretext of their use in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical finished products on concessional duties and without sales tax under the provision of government rules.
However, instead of using the imported raw material, the firm sold it in the open market “for achieving wrongful gains “.
The drug controllers issued the consumption certificates to the firm and committed misappropriation of huge amounts of duty drawback/refund from the customs authorities.
