FIA ordered to submit final charge sheet in 10 days

KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) that submitted an incomplete charge sheet in fake degrees scam against Axact CEO Shoaib Shaikh and eight other accused, was given 10 days time to submit a complete charge sheet.
None of the accused including Shoaib Shaikh was produced on Saturday before Judicial Magistrate (South) Noor Muhammad Kalmati under the grounds that the Home Department has directed the Prison Superintendent that the accused would be tried in jail.
The court was informed that the prison superintendent had received a notification from the Home Department (Sindh) that had declared that the trial would be conducted in the prison. Upon this plea the court observed that it was the sessions court that has powered to either declare the trial as open or jail.
According to the incomplete charge sheet two of the accused, Aisha Shaikh and Farhman Kamal were absconding. Besides, it said that out of 79 witnesses, the statements of 54 witnesses have been recorded. Upon this the court ordered to record the statements of remaining witnesses without further delay and submit a report to this effect on Monday (June 15).
The court while rejecting the incomplete charge sheet ordered to file a complete charge sheet within 10 days. The court declared that in case the Investigation Officer (IO) concerned failed to submit a final charge sheet after 10 days, the court would treat the incomplete charge sheet as final and would forward to the District and Sessions Court concerned.
The incomplete charge sheet said that around 2.2 million fake degrees were recovered during the investigation against the software company. It further claimed that luxurious vehicles were bought for a television channel ‘Bol’ and the accused was also involved in money laundering. It was further asserted that huge amount was received from off shore companies and was deposited in the Axact’s bank account and other people’s bank accounts. A separate money laundering case was also being lodged against the accused, the IO concluded.
The IO while highlighting that around 2.2 million false educational documents were recovered in the raids at the offices of the software house and many other crimes were occurred by the accused.
He prayed to the court to grant three weeks’ time to complete the charge sheet and gather more evidence and to record the statements of the remaining witnesses. The court, however, rejected this stance and granted 10 days time to fulfil all necessary legal obligations and submit a final charge sheet.
Axact CEO Shoaib Shaikh’s wife Ayesha and another companion of Shoaib Shaikh, Farhan Kamal have been declared fugitives in the interim charge sheet.