KARACHI: Customs Court Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi has sent Muhammad Airf, representative of M/s Docks (Private) Limited to Central Jail Karachi on judicial remand. The suspect was allegedly involved in smuggling of 52,158 kilogram betel nuts worth Rs 6.91 million.
During the hearing, investigation officer submitted before the court that the suspect played an active role in the case. After the hearing, the court sent the suspect on judicial remand and directed the jail authorities to produce him before the court on the next date of hearing.
It needs to be pertained here that on last date of hearing, investigation officer told the court that suspect Sohail Ali, proprietor of M/s Ajmair Impex (office no 12, Rashan-e-Mustafa Centre, Landa Bazar, Lahore), was booked in another case registered in Lahore, therefore, the customs authorities wanted to produce him in Lahore’s trail court, therefore, the court might allow the officials to move him to Lahore and after the hearing, the court had sent him to Lahore on transit remand.
Earlier, investigation officer Model Customs Collectorate Appraisement West Customs House Karachi had submitted interim charge sheet against suspects namely Sohail Ali, proprietor of M/s Ajmair Impex, Muhammad Khalid son of Usman, Operational Manager of M/s Docks Pvt Ltd, Sunny Raj, Project Manager M/s Docks Pvt Ltd, Shehzoor Hussain son of Ghulam Hussain, loading supervisor of M/s Docks Pvt Ltd, Syed Uzair Ali son of Syed Afaq Ali, Computer Operator of M/s Docks Pvt Ltd, Mansoor Ahmed son of Naseer Ahmed, Director of M/s Docks Pvt Ltd, Arbab Khan son of Ishtiaq Muhammad, Director of M/s Docks Pvt Ltd and others.
Investigation officer further informed the court that during the investigation, it was revealed that the above mentioned suspects declared goods on the basis of fake NOCs galvanized plain sheets prime and secondary quality, quantity 52050 kilograms valued at $15094.50 equivalent to Rs1,701,468, however, during the search, officials of the customs authorities recovered 52158 kilograms of betel nuts valuing to Rs6,916,151, he submitted that they also evaded the amount of duty and taxes in the tune of Rs8,57,176.
According to the interim charge sheet, names of Shahzad Ahmed, Appraisement Officer Customs Collectorate Appraisement West, Hussain son of Ahmed, Sultan Mehmood and Muhammad Zafar Arshad have been mentioned in the charge sheet as witnesses of the prosecution.
After the hearing, court had accepted interim charge sheet and directed investigation officer to complete the investigations and submit final charge sheet against the above mentioned suspects on next date of hearing.
