KARACHI: The Customs Court rejected the bail petition of arrested suspects namely Muhammad Qasim Kazi, Export Manager of M/s Kazi Corporation, Muhammad Nadeem Suleman Khel, Muhammad Akhtar, representative of M/s Faster Line Business and Asmatullah, who were booked in a case of tax evasion involving Rs376,775,114.
Order came on October 23, 2018, during the hearing, counsel for the accused argued that their clients are innocents and were falsely implicated in this case, who are ready to face trial; therefore, court may grant their bail till final judgment in this case. However, special prosecutor of customs department opposed the bail petition and argued that interim charge-sheet has been filed in which their role of crime has been decided; therefore, court may reject their bail.
After hearing both sides’ arguments, court rejected bail petitions of all the four accused persons who are confined in Central Jail Karachi.
According to the prosecution, during the investigation, it was revealed that importers submitted fake and fabricated Form-Es, meaning thereby that the foreign exchange amounting to $3,345,380 (Rs376,775,114) was not remitted in the country, despite that goods have been exported, hence the exporter with the collusion/help of clearing agent have hoodwinked customs by submitting fake documents.
It needs to be pertained here that court had issued non-bailable warrants against absconding suspects namely Afaq Ahmed, proprietor of M/s First Way Link Traders, Asim Jadoon, partner/ owner of M/s International Cargo Leaders, Haji Juma Gul, Shah Wali.
A case was registered against the above-mentioned suspects who violated the provisions of Section 16, 32 (1), 32 (1), 32 (2), 32A, 131, 192 & 209 of Customs Act, 1969 pragraph-3, 16 & 17 of Export Policy Order 2016 read with Section 3 of the Imports & Exports Control Act, 1950 further read with Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947, punishable under Clauses 1, 9, 14, 14A, 77 & 77 & 86 of Sub Section 1 of Section 156 of the Customs Act, 1969 paragraph-17 of Export Policy Prder-2016 further read with Section-5 of the Imports and Exports Control Act, 1950, further read with the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947.
