KARACHI: Customs Court Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi has directed the investigation officer to submit a final charge sheet against suspects, Naeem Ahmed and Mohsin Ghaffar, who were booked in a case pertaining to pay-order fraud of Rs 2.35 million.
According to the prosecution, both the suspects removed illegally removal a pay-order from the Securities Section of the Collectorate and deposited it into the personal deposit account of a delinquent importers illegally. The personal deposit or pact-deposit account is a facility by which the government allows the users of WeBOC system (traders as well as customs agents) to deposit their funds with the government in advance.
The investigation officer said that the pay-order number PO No99352567843 issued on December 2, 2016 was illegally deposited into personal deposit account of Malik Corporation (NTN 4292395-6), whose owner is the accused, Malik Sarfaraz Nawaz. The pay order was issued by Meezan Bank, situated at MA Jinnah Road Branch, Karachi in favour of an authorised importer, M/s Qamar and Company (NTN 2442089).
Saleem Khan added that during initial investigation revealed that Naeem Attar was actively involved in this illegal depositing of pay-order. He mentioned that at the time of deposit of funds into PD Accounts by the NBP, the WeBOC system asks the NTN number of PD Account Holder, in which funds are to be deposited. After entering NTN number by the bank official, the WeBOC system displays name of the PD Account Holder.
“It is responsibility of concerned functionary of NBP to check the PD Account holder name displayed by the WeBO system and the name of authorised importer on pay-order.”
Saleem Khan further informed the court that, if both names are matched, the pay-order should be accepted for PD account deposit. Otherwise, it is not allowed. Naeem Attar entered the NTN number of accused Malik Sarfaraz Nawaz despite the fact that the pay-order was in the name of M/s Qamar and Co.
He also mentioned that the co-accused Naeem Attar has submit false information into WeBOC system electronically in order to defraud the government from its legitimate asset and committed a fiscal fraud as defined under Sections 32A of the Customs Act, 1969, punishable under clause 14A of Section 156(1) of the Customs Act, 1969.
