KARACHI: Hearing a constitution petition filed by accused in alleged scam of illegal removal of goods since 13 years, a customs appellate bench of High Court of Sindh on Friday disposed of the same by consent of the parties.
The bench comprising Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi and Justice Mahmood A Khan earlier heard Adnan Motan advocate, counsel for petitioners/accused Muhammad Arif, Muhammad Idrees, Muhammad Anis and Muhammad Ovais of Messrs General Services Private Limited which has a license of ware house.
Khalid Mahmood Rajpar advocate representing the Collectorates of East and West, appeared along with Deputy Collector, West Arsalan Majeed Rana and Investigating Officer Shahid Hassan. Khalid Rajpar informed the bench of alleged modus operandi of the petitioners in illegal removal of “inbond” goods from their ware house in the name of other companies owned by them with out paying duty and taxes (payable at the time of ex-bonding). He also referred to a suit dismissed by Single Judge of SHC filed by the petitioners.
The custom officers stated that petitioners are not required in any other FIRs except FIR 4,5,6 & 7 of 2019. The bench with the consent of the parties disposed of the petition with the direction to the respondents to complete the investigations in 45 days associating the petitioners with investigations while petitioners were directed to cooperate in the investigations and furnish documents required by the Investigator.
The bench also set them at liberty to file appropriate application before the trial court i.e Special Court for Customs seeking quashing of FIR against them and directed the trial court to decide such application within two months after hearing the parties.
The petitioners were also allowed to seek legal remedy available to them in case trial court passes adverse order against them.