RAWALPINDI, Feb 14: Former chairman of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) Tauqir Sadiq, who was arrested in UAE on charges of violating local sponsorship laws, was sent to jail on Thursday after a 14-day investigation.

The former chairman of Ogra is wanted by Pakistan for his alleged involvement in a Rs82 billion corruption scam and the Supreme Court of Pakistan has already ordered authorities concerned to bring him back so that he may face charges in Pakistani courts.

He was expected to be deported to Pakistan next month, informed sources told Dawn, adding that Mr Sadiq’s arrest in the UAE and his shifting to jail was not linked to the Pakistanis scam. Rather, he had been taken into custody by the UAE police on charges of allegedly violating local sponsorship laws as an expatriate employee (escape from his employer).

Sources said the move by the UAE government might delay Mr Tauqir’s extradition to Pakistan because the accused was likely to serve a jail sentence or be fined for allegedly violating UAE laws.

The former Ogra chairman’s sponsorship was withdrawn by his UAE employer Nasir Al-Mazhrohi which led to his arrest.

Meanwhile, a joint team of NAB and the Counter-Terrorism Department (of Punjab comprising NAB Deputy Director Waqas Ahmed Khan and SP Rana Shahid of the Counter-Terrorism Wing, is likely to depart for the UAE next week to take custody of the former Ogra chairman.

The source said that Mr Sadiq would be taken into custody only after he was on board a flight for Pakistan as Pakistani authorities could not arrest him in the UAE.

A police team had visited the UAE in January which helped local Criminal Investigation Department and Interpol to locate Mr Sadiq which led to his subsequent arrest for allegedly violating local sponsorship laws.

Mr Rana Shahid, an SP from Rawalpindi having technical experience, was leading the police team to assist NAB officials in the case.

The former Ogra chairman was taken into custody by UAE authorities on Jan 31 this year.

The former Ogra chief had been staying in Ajman on an employment permit of a ‘cashier’ which was valid for three years.

“Mr Tauqir’s local sponsor was forced to withdraw his sponsorship and after his sponsorship was withdrawn he went into hiding to avert his arrest. But one of his close friends identified as Sajid was arrested by UAE police as Sajid and Sadiq’s wives were cousins. Later, an Iraqi national Solomon who is a friend of Tauqir was arrested and he made the police job easy to locate Mr Sadiq,” a senior police officer said.