RAWALPINDI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested seven officials, including two sisters, after they were found involved in using unfair means, cheating and fraud to get themselves inducted in the organisation or getting promotions.

The FIA said its Anti-Corruption Circle (ACC) registered a criminal case against the officials who got their jobs in the agency by using unfair means, cheating, fraud and deception. A senior official confirmed that all the seven officials have been arrested.

The FIA in a press release said: “Multiple complaints were received regarding irregularities in the recruitment process of the FIA through Open Testing Service (OTS) on social media.”

After the FIA director general took notice of the alleged irregularities, the ACC Islamabad launched an inquiry against the individuals who had secured jobs in the FIA by using unfair means, cheating, fraud and deception.

The first case was registered against Shahroom Khan and Tahir Amin, residents of Mardan, who got jobs in the FIA as sub-inspectors by cheating, forgery and using other unfair means. They managed to bypass the system with active connivance of the OTS staff.

The role of the OTS staff and others will be ascertained during the course of investigations and Sub-Inspector Aoun Abbas has been appointed as the investigating officer.

Another case was registered with the ACC against Kainat Mumtaz and her sister Rimsha Mumtaz, who had been serving with the FIA as constables and secured their promotions as sub-inspectors by cheating, personating, forgery and using other unfair means. They also managed to bypass the system with active connivance of the OTS staff, the FIR said.

Memona Kausar, sub-inspector, has been assigned the task to probe the case registered against the two sisters.

Another FIR was registered against Mohammad Azeem, a resident of Nisar Colony Faisalabad, who got himself appointed in the FIA as a sub-inspector by cheating, personating and forgery and using unfair means.

A departmental inquiry led to the registration of a criminal case against Hamad Ahmad from Karak, who secured 79 marks in his written test for the post of a sub-inspector conducted by the OTS in Sept 2019. During the inquiry, a reassessment test was conducted from all the newly-selected SIs, including the accused, at the FIA Academy Islamabad. However, Ahmad could get only 42 marks.

The original answer sheet of the reassessment test and his handwriting were sent to the technical wing of the FIA which didn’t tally with the previous one. Later, a criminal case was registered against him which led to his arrest.

Hamza Saeed, a resident of Nisar Colony Faisalabad, got himself appointed in the FIA as a sub-inspector by cheating, forgery and by using unfair means.

He managed to pass the system in connivance with the OTS staff. However, the role of others will be determined during the investigation to be conducted by SI Amanat Ali.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2021