ISLAMABAD: A man has approached the Islamabad district and sessions court seeking directives for the registration of a criminal case against two officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for their alleged involvement in favouring a key suspect in a liver transplant scandal.

The petition was filed by Waqar Khan through his counsel Mohammad Noorul Ain Munir in the court of sessions judge west, against three officials of the FIA and the interior ministry, officials and lawyers said.

Mr Munir said he submitted the petition on June 16, and in response the judge asked the FIA to submit para-wise comments. “[On Tuesday], the FIA submitted the comments with the court,” he said.

The petition stated that the petitioner moved an application, and an FIR was eventually registered at the FIA police station in Islamabad under the PPC and the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance 2002. Officials of the FIA confirmed that an FIR had been registered.

The petition also stated that the investigating officer took a Rs5 million bribe from the suspect, through a property dealer in Bhara Kahu.

It said the officer illegally confined Waqar Khan and his relatives at the police station without any legal justification, took illegal remuneration from the suspect and let him go.

The FIA called these comments incorrect, and contended that the officer did not confine the petitioner and his relatives in the police station, officials said.

In response, the FIA said in its comments that this was incorrect, officials said. The FIA said the investigation into the case was initially entrusted to the investigating officer, who arrested two suspects and the facilitator. After the completion of their investigation, they were sent to judicial custody.

One suspect joined the investigation, and his testimony was recorded, the report said. It added that during the investigation, he was confronted with the arrested suspects and the petitioner, but no incriminating evidence against him was on record, which was why his arrest was pending.

It also said the petitioner was repeatedly summoned to provide any solid evidence against this suspect, but was unable to. It added that according to the investigating officer, the petitioner was never locked up and was called only to confront the suspect.

The petition said Mr Khan submitted an application against the investigating officer with the office of the FIA director general.

It also said that the petitioner appeared before the deputy director of the FIA Special Investigation Unit, and faced behaviour similar to that displayed by the investigating officer. It alleged that the deputy director was also involved in receiving illegal benefits.

To this, the FIA commented that on the petitioner’s written complaint the investigation of the case was transferred on Jun 8, 2016, and “is going on merit”.

Published in Dawn, June 22th, 2016