KARACHI: The Customs Court granted pre-arrest bail to suspects Zafar Iqbal of M/s Khan Enterprises and Mehmood Iqbal of M/s M.M Trading Co who are nominated in Rs5.20 million tax evasion case.
On 8 November 2019, above-mentioned suspects appeared before the court along with their counsel and moved pre-arrest bail applications. Counsel argued that their clients are innocent and falsely implicated in this case, they are ready to face trial, however, they have apprehension of arrest, therefore, court may grant their bail till final judgment in this case.
After the hearing, court granted their pre-arrest bail against the surety of Rs200,000 and also issued notices to customs department and special prosecutor for customs and called police papers for next date of hearing. According to the prosecution, investigation officer of Appraisement West submitted that in the light of new evidence of amendment in the consignee name it stands proved that instant container bearing no MRKU-5923811 was initially booked in the name of M/s M.M Trading Co on 7 August 2019 when the container was forwarded on the vessel “Eleonora Maersk” from port of loading i.e London Gateway Port, and name was changed from M/s M. M Trading Co to M/s Khan Enterprises Karachi and after 23 days from the shipment till change/correction in the consignee name reached at transshipment port of Jebel Ali.
He further submits that the change in the name was/is prima facie, a deliberate attempt on part of the actual beneficiary to avoid criminal proceeding and deliberate/willful concealment of facts/ record is the key to entire plan. He said that if the change in the name of consignee could not have explored, the criminal proceedings could be confined and limited to the consignee M/s Khan Enterprises, in view of new indiscriminate evidence against them it is established beyond any iota of doubt that above mentioned importers and other have planned an attempt to clear the impugned consignment with malafide intention.
