KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday summoned an investigating officer of the National Accountability Bureau for explanation over his failure to make any progress in an inquiry initiated against former provincial minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla in 2021.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha also restrained NAB from arresting the ex-minister and five others till Oct 5 and directed the petitioners to extend full cooperation in the inquires.

NAB in its comments informed the bench that the former minster was allegedly making money through his frontmen as no obvious source of income of Mr Chawla existed besides a company which had been blacklisted since 2017.

Citing the NAB chairman and other officials as respondents, the ex-minister and some officials had filed petitions in the SHC last month and the counsel for the former minister contended that despite not receiving any call-up notice, NAB officials had raided the residence of petitioner in the early hours of Aug 26, in an attempt to arrest the petitioner, but he was not available at home.

When a set of petitions came up for hearing on Tuesday, NAB officials informed the bench that the matter was at the inquiry stage as an inquiry was initially initiated against the former excise & taxation, food, parliamentary affairs and narcotics control minister in 2021.

However, the bench in its order said that apparently nothing was done in the inquiry rather it was abandoned for two years.

It further noted that as per NAB officials, then IO Mirza Aleem Baig made no progress in the matter for over two years despite the then minister and other suspects being present in the city throughout this time.

The bench said it’s inexplicable that no progress was made during last two years and now suddenly after the dissolution of provincial assembly in which Mr Chawla was a minister, NAB changed the investigating officer and new IO Kamran Abbas was vigorously pursuing the inquiry despite it being dormant for over a couple of years.

“We find that this change of stance in the inquiry based on the circumstances mentioned above does not appear to be above board and as such on the next date of hearing IO Mirza Aleem Baig shall appear in person who failed to make any progress in the inquiry since 2021 and provide his explanation in this regard,” it added.

NAB filed reply in a petition filed by the former minister and contended that NAB was conducting an inquiry against Mr Chawla’s alleged frontmen including private person Hassan Ali Sharif, deputy director of exercise & taxation department Waheed Shaikh on the allegations of corruption by misuse of their authority and accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income.

It further maintained that as per complaint, the ex-minister was involved in making money through his frontmen as no noticeable source of income of the petitioner existed besides the Chawla International.

“There has been progressive increase in assets of Chawla International. However, it is blacklisted since 2017 as per FBR record. Currently, the inquiry under-process is at its preliminary stage and letters for general search of properties have been issued on 17-08-2023, the reply/response of which is still awaited,” NAB in its comments added.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2023