KARACHI: The Customs Court approved interim pre-arrest bail of Appraiser Najeeb Abid son of Abid Hussain of Customs Collectorate of Appraisement, who was nominated in a case of attempting to smuggle non-duty paid 209,540 kilograms betel nuts.
On October 13, 2018, counsel for the applicant moved bail application and argued that his client is innocent and falsely been implicated in this case, who is ready to face trail, therefore, court may grant him bail till final order in this case.
After the hearing, court granted his bail against the surety of Rs300,000 and directed him to appear before the court on next date of hearing. The court also directed the suspect to join investigations whenever required by investigation officer.
Investigation officer informed the court that credible information was received that importer M/s Sualeha Textile Industries and others were involved in a scam of illegal import of betel nuts in collusion with the clearing agents, customs officials and other facilitators. On that information, officials of the customs department visited the spot and found all four containers stuffed with betel nuts and 34100 kilogram goods were found which had been stacked in front of containers to conceal the betel nuts stuffed behind them.
First Information Report (FIR) is registered against Faisel Shakeel, owner of M/s Sualeha Textile Industries, Muhammad Zakir, owner of M/s M.Z Enterprises, proprietors and directors of clearing agent M/s Jawad Zubair, Pervaiz Ejaz son of Ahmed Sher, clearing agent of M/s Pervez Ejaz Associates, Rana Fareed, employee of M/s Pervez Ejaz Associates, Muhammad Shahid Murad son of Murad Ali, Appraiser, Customs Collectorate of Appraisement, Najeeb Abid son of Abid Hussain, Appraiser, Customs Collectorate of Appraisement, proprietors and directors of M/s Ansa International, proprietors and directors of M/s Mirza Corporation and others to be ascertained during the investigation.
He further submitted that during the initial investigations, it is established beyond any iota of doubt that the accused, in collusion with other accomplices, aiders and abettors, have attempted to clear the impugned consignments comprising of betel nuts which were otherwise restricted items as per import policy order in vogue and included in the list of smuggled items, revenue loss on the seized goods has been quantified as Rs46,089,024 and the market value of the offending goods has been estimated to be Rs240,000,000 as per prevailing market.
