KARACHI: A startling corruption scandal has come to light in Karachi, with Imran Noorani at its center. In a recent cross-examination before Customs officers and officials’ legal representatives, Noorani vehemently denied all charges related to the alleged corruption and smuggling of betel nut. Notable legal representatives present at the proceedings included Barrister Mian Ali Shafaq, who represented Amir Thaeem; Athar Hussain, representing Usman Bajwa; Barrister Jafar Raza, representing Saqif Saeed; Jazif Aftab, representing Yawar Aftab; and accused Tayyab and Tariq Mehmood.
Imran Noorani finds himself at the heart of the betel nut smuggling scandal, but during the cross-examination, he maintained his innocence, claiming that he had never participated in any prior inquiries related to the case prior to lodging of FIR. According to Noorani, he first learned of the FIR when a friend in the Rangers informed him about it.
Furthermore, he asserted that neither he nor any of his company’s employees had provided or produced any material records to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Noorani vehemently dismissed the FIR against him as baseless and frivolous. He pointed out that the Sindh High Court had granted him pre-arrest bail on these very grounds. He went on to claim that he had been unlawfully abducted and held captive for 73 days. During this period, he was questioned about FIR No. 19/2023, but he insisted that no FIA officer or official inquired about the case.
Noorani referred to his statement to the FIA, stating that he had unequivocally denied all allegations contained in the FIR. He adamantly denied ever discussing bribes or having any contact or meetings with Amir Thaeem.
The unfolding case promises to be a contentious legal battle, with Noorani’s denial of all charges setting the stage for a complex and high-stakes courtroom drama.