KARACHI: At least 15 accused, who were arrested for their alleged involvement in the pilferage of the US Army cargo, could not secure bail once again as the Customs Court judge deferred the case and fixed August 5 as the new date of hearing.
The persons under arrest include drivers of 11 vehicles, Umar Khan and Masood Bawani of M/s Multitrans Logistics, and vehicle broker Tikka Khan and Sohail of M/s Bilal Associates.
One of the accused Muhammad Umer presented his medical record which the judge did not accept as it was of the year 2012. The judge directed for a letter to the director Jinnah Hospital for the formation of a medical board.
Directors of M/s Port connection bonded carrier Chaudhry Raza and Malik Asghar have already been granted interim bail by the Sindh High Court while the hearing in this regard has been scheduled for August 6, 2015.
The Customs Court has granted medical bail against a security of Rs 4.0 million to Shahid Ansari, owner of M/s Bilal Associates. A medical board would convene soon to determine the state of Ansari’s health.
It may be mentioned here that Director Afghan Transit Trade Wajid Ali had detected this pilferage of US Army reverse cargo. The credit for this remarkable performance goes to Deputy Director Shoaib Raza, and Investigation Officer Adnan Amin Malik.
It may also be mentioned here that the pilfered or lost goods had been insured at highly exaggerated rates. For instance, a generator valuing Rs 10 million was insured at Rs 60 million, which is confirmed by the fact that goods were declared at highly exaggerated values in the goods declarations.
Sources said that the insurer had made several payments for the goods pilfered or lost, and now it was being investigated who was the beneficiary of these payments, as US Army did not get the insurance instead the contractors had these goods insured.
Sources said that several US based Middle Eastern companies operating in Pakistan were also being sorted out as there has been evidence of their involvement in unscrupulous activities.
