KARACHI: The accused arrested for their involvement in the pilferage of US Army cargo could not secure bail as the Customs Court has extended the date of bail hearing. The hearing in this regard was scheduled for July 24, 2015, however the judge deferred the hearing and fixed it for July 29, 2015.
The persons under arrest include drivers of 11 vehicles, Umar Khan and Masood Bawani of M/s Multitrans Logistics, vehicle broker Tikka Khan and Sohail of M/s Bilal Associates.
Directors of M/s Port connection bonded carrier Chaudry Raza and Malik Asghar have been granted interim bail from the high Court while the hearing in this regard has been scheduled for August 06, 2015.
The Customs Court has granted medical bail against a security of Rs4.0 million to Shahid Ansari, owner of M/s Bilal Associates. A medical board would convene soon to determine the state of Ansari’s health.
Director Afghan Transit Trade Wajid Ali had detected this pilferage of US Army reverse cargo. The investigations in this case progressed at a historic pace and no stone was left unturned. The credit for this remarkable performance goes to Deputy Director Shoib Raza, Investigation Office Adnan Amin Malik.
It may be mentioned here that the pilfered or lost goods had been insured at highly exaggerated rates. For instance, a generator valuing Rs10 million was insured at Rs60 million, which is confirmed by the fact that goods were declared at highly exaggerated values in the Goods Declarations.
Sources said that the insurer had made several payments for the goods pilfered or lost, and now it was being investigated who was the beneficiary of these payments, as US Army did not get the insurance instead the contractors had these goods insured.
Sources said that several US based Middle Eastern companies operating in Pakistan were also being sorted out as there has been evidence of their involvement in unscrupulous activities.
The vehicles, carrying containers which were pilfered, were blacklisted by the authorities so that these could not be used for transportation. However, the owners of these vehicles in connivance with Excise Department changed the registration numbers and now these vehicles are moving on routes.
Investigation sources told Customnews.pk that there were hints of indirect involvement of an Indian agency in this entire scam and a report in this regard would soon be moved to concerned authorities.