KARACHI: A local court on Tuesday remanded in custody of the Federal Investigation Agency its deputy director detained in a case pertaining to Rs14 million money laundering.

FIA detained and booked Abdul Ghaffar, in-charge of its Cyber Crime Reporting Centre at Karachi, for allegedly extending undue favours to officials of a private information technology (IT) firm against bribe.

Five other suspects have also been booked in the case.

On Tuesday, the investigating officer produced the detained officer before a judicial magistrate (South) to seek his 14-day physical remand in the custody of the FIA for interrogation and investigation.

However, the judge remanded him in custody of the FIA till May 1 with direction to the IO to produce him on the next date along with an investigation report.

FIR Anti-Corruption Circle had lodged an FIR, stating that in an inquiry it transpired that deputy director (Forensic Expert) Abdul Ghaffar during his posting as in-charge of the CCRC at Karachi had allegedly extended undue benefit/favour to the private IT firm (in an inquiry) against receipt of illegal remuneration/bribe.

The officials of the firm have also been booked in the case under the charge of abetment under Section 161 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

During the inquiry, it was ascertained that an amount of Rs14m was given as illegal gratification during the inquiry against M/s ABTACH (Private) Limited, stated the FIR.

Out of which Rs4m was transferred/handed over to Ms Najma Hafeez at Lahore on Jan 25 through a contact person Amin on directives of Abdul Ghaffar, it added.

It stated that the same was corroborated by subsequent cash deposit of Rs1m in the bank account of Ms Hafeez by herself at a private bank branch in Lahore on Jan 26.

It further alleged that Rs10m was transferred through the same contact person to Asim Mansoor on Jan 28 at Lahore upon directions of Mr Ghaffar, who was also in frequent contact with Mansoor.

“Disposal/transfer/conversion of proceeds of crime of Rs14 million to some other form is to be ascertained during investigation and upon successful trace, codal formalities for attachment will be commended as per law,” it stated.

It stated that it had been established that Abdul Ghaffar in his capacity of public servant by misusing his position had acquired the crime proceeds obtained from commission of predicate offences.

These facts constitute commissioning of offences punishable under Sections 3 (offence of money laundering) and 4 (punishment for money laundering) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010, hence with the approval of the competent authority a case was registered against him.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2021