KARACHI: A sessions court on Wednesday issued notices to seven women, who had invested money in a Rs420 million ballot committee (BC) scam allegedly orchestrated by social media influencer Sidra Humaid.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (East) Faiza Khalil directed Sehrish Khan, Samina Shah, Tabinda Hamza, Ghunwa Memon, Romana Memon, Mozzama and Aneela Farooq to appear in court on Jan 4 to narrate their side of the story.

Last week, Ms Humaid had approached the court seeking a direction for the SSP-complaint and Sharea Faisal SHO to lodge a case against the seven women for allegedly harassing her to demand the money invested by them in the ballot committee, better known as ‘BC’.

Many citizens claiming to be investors had taken to the social media alleging Ms Humaid of masterminding an online scam in the name of ‘BC’.

Main character of scam, Sidra Humaid, has accused the women of harassing her

On Wednesday, when the matter came up for hearing, the applicant Ms Humaid was called absent. Therefore, the court issued notices to the seven women (said to be the investors), whom the applicant cited as proposed accused for allegedly harassing and intimidating her.

The judge issued notices and told the proposed accused to appear before the court on Jan 4 to narrate their side of the story and adjourned the hearing.

In her plea, Ms Humaid had stated that she was being alleged of running an online financial scam despite the fact that she neither sold any product nor used any advertisement on any online platform.

She stated that it was a form of traditional way of collecting money from different people, pooling in the same and then returning it to the investor/members on their turn.

The applicant maintained that she had simply asked her investors on social media to not panic and their money would be returned in the coming months. She argued that such an announcement on social media did not come within the meaning of committing an online fraud.

She further maintained that she was ready to return the money to every genuine investor, but alleged that many people with fake claims had also turned up to claim the money from his client despite the fact that she owed nothing to them in real.

She alleged that a number of people had been visiting her house, harassing her and using abusive language to demand their money back.

She also alleged that applications were filed with the SSP-complaint cell and Sharea Faisal SHO requesting to provide protection and lodge a case of criminal intimidation against the proposed accused persons, but they failed to entertain her pleas.

The court was pleaded to direct the police officials to provide adequate protection to the applicant as she apprehended threats to her safety and security.

Sidra Humaid, owner of a home-based food business ‘Daily Bites’ and handicraft start-up ‘Cróise’, is alleged to have defrauded hundreds of her depositors by announcing on social media that she had “no means to pay off her committees” to around 200 contributors leaving them in utter shock and disbelief.

Since early this month, social media is abuzz with stories of victims of what many described as a Ponzi scheme.

Many victims reached out to each other and formed WhatsApp groups to take action against Ms Humaid.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2022