Non-bailable arrest warrants for Gilani, Fahim issued again
03 June, 2014
KARACHI: The Federal Anti-Corruption Court (FACC) on Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants of five accused including former PM Yusuf Raza Gilani and former commerce minister Makhdomm Amin Fahim in seven cases concerning the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) scam.
The court headed by Muhammad Azeem has now issued non-bailable warrants of arrest in seven cases filed by FIA against Yusuf Raza Gilani, Amin Fahim and former secretary to the prime minister's house, Zubair. In these cases, the FIA submitted seven charge sheets and showing the three accused as absconders.
Consequently, the court issued non-bailable warrants of arrest against the three accused involved in the TDAP scam. Earlier, on May 29 an anti corruption court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Gilani and Fahim.
In these cases, the two PPP leaders were accused of misappropriation of huge funds and the apex court of the country had also taken notice of alleged plundering of national exchequer under one pretext or the other by the accused.
A bench headed by the then Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had heard the corruption cases relating to different departments and had directed the FIA to investigate, report and lodge cases.
The cases that were lodged after investigation were now being heard by the FACC that had earlier given Amin Fahim an exemption from appearance in the court and at times it had directed the defence counsel to ensure the appearance of his client at the next hearing.
In some of the cases, the trial court had declared to frame charges against the accused, but due to non-appearance of some of the accused, including Amin Fahim, it could not happen. The court now has issued non-bailable arrest warrants against the two accused along with other absconding accused.
The investigators have been made bound to ensure arrest of the accused and their production before the court on June 17 when the court would sit again to hear these seven cases.The FACC has ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to produce all the accused before the court by June 17.
Earlier the FIA had declared Yusuf Raza Gilani and Makhdomm Amin Fahim as fugitives in cases linked to TDAP scam and the court ultimately had to pass the above orders as part of legal proceedings.
The FIA mentioned in its charge sheet that former TDAP chairman Tariq Iqbalpuri, former director general Javed Anwar, Abdul Karim Daud and former project manager Mirchumal Khatri had already been arrested and recorded their statement while Gilani and Amin Fahim's names were included in the light of the statements recorded by the detained accused.
In these cases the warrants against the two PPP leaders have been issued by two courts (in Karachi and in Islamabad). Seven other accused have also been declared as absconding and non-bailable warrants of arrest were issued against these accused as well.The court had previously issued notices (three times) to Yusuf Raza Gilani and Makhdoon Amin Fahim, directing them to appear before it.
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