ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday told an accountability court that an accused Faisal Shaheen in video leak case had confessed to having made video of former accountability judge Mohammad Arshad Malik.

In the video, the former judge has admitted convicting former prime minister Nawaz Sharif under duress.

The FIA produced before the anti terrorism court (ATC) the accused Faisal Shaheen and Hamza Arif Butt, a nephew of the main figure in the video leak controversy Nasir Butt.

The ATC sent accused Shaheen on seven days judicial remand while the physical remand of Hamza extended for another three days.

Counter Terrorism Wing (CTW) of the FIA arrested both the accused after the director general FIA transferred the video leaks inquiry from Cyber Crime Circle to CTW.

Judge Malik accused Cyber Crimes Circle of letting three suspects, Nasir Janjua, Khurram Yousaf and Mahar Ghulam Jilani, go after ‘friendly interrogation’.

In another case, Prevention of Electronic Crimes (cyber crimes) Court reserved order of transferring the pending trial of Mian Tariq Mehmood to the ATC.

FIA filed an application before the cyber crimes court for transferring of the case to ATC after the investigation was transferred to the CTW which is probing the matter under Anti Terrorism Act and Pakistan Penal Code.

Meanwhile, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) informed the accountability court that six accused involved in fake accounts case have applied for plea bargain and agreed to deposit Rs75 million.

According to the NAB prosecution, the accused were facing inquiry in Sindh Roshan programme.

The accused are Aslam Pervaiz Memon, Abdul Rasheed Channa, Aziz Tehseen, Baldev, Abid Arain and Zaffar Enterprises.

NAB alleged that they were given undue benefits in awarding of contracts.

As per NAB’s investigation, Memon caused Rs2.5 million loss to Sindh government, Channa Rs5 million and Zafar Enterprises Rs64.2 million.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2019