Court Grants FIA Two-day Remand Of Five Culprits In APP Fake Appointments Case
Umer Jamshaid Published December 10, 2024 | 02:50 PM
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Dec, 2024) A civil judge/Judicial Magistrate Islamabad (West) Ahmed Shehzad Gondal on Tuesday handed over five accused, including the main culprit Arshad Majeed Chaudhry, to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on a two-day physical remand in the APP fake appointments case.
The Civil Judge/Judicial Magistrate Ahmed Shahzad Gondal granted two-day remand on Tuesday, allowing further investigation into the allegations of illegal appointments and financial irregularities at the national news agency.
The FIA presented former APP Manager Accounts Arshad Majeed Chaudhry, his son Taimur Arshad, and three other accused—Saad Yousuf, Qaiser Jawad, and Fawad Khan—before the court. The investigation agency sought a seven-day remand to recover documents and funds linked to the alleged fraudulent activities.
FIA Sub-Inspector Ehtesham Gondal informed the court that Arshad Majeed authorized salary payments to 18 employees who were recruited illegally through forged documents. According to the FIA, the appointments lacked approval from APP’s management, were not recorded in the HR department, and had no accompanying medical reports.
The investigation officer stated that the signatures on the recruitment documents were forged and the appointments were carried out without institutional consent. “The managing director and HR manager of APP confirmed that these appointments were neither authorized nor documented,†Gondal told the court.
The FIA further alleged that most of the accused were relatives of Arshad Majeed, Moazzam Javed Khokhar, Afzal Hans, Muhammad Zubair, Attiq Ur Rehman and Pervaiz Ahmed etc, suggesting their central role in the scam. The investigation revealed that some of the beneficiaries received salaries for three months before the scheme was uncovered.
The legal representatives for the accused opposed the physical remand, arguing that the FIA had sufficient time for investigation and that further custody was unnecessary. Amir Abbas Malik represented Arshad Majeed and Taimur Arshad, while Rashid Umar Aulakh appeared for Saad Yousuf.
The FIA argued that the remand was essential for the recovery of funds and forged documents.
Moreover, Sub-Inspector Gondal emphasized that records were still in the possession of Arshad Majeed, and their retrieval required physical custody of the accused.
The court was also informed that APP’s legal advisor, Khurram Baig, had confirmed the forgery allegations. He stated that Arshad Majeed prepared fake papers and issued salaries to unauthorized individuals. The approval process bypassed the appointing authorities and left no trace in HR records.
The FIA arrested the accused immediately after the Special Judge Central rejected their interim bails. During the hearing, the civil judge directed the FIA to submit the departmental inquiry report conducted by APP. He also instructed investigators to determine whether the appointments were entirely fake or partially unauthorized.
The judge observed that recovering the misappropriated funds was crucial to resolving the case. “Further investigation will establish the extent of wrongdoing and identify other potential beneficiaries,†he remarked.
The FIA noted that Taimur Arshad, son of Arshad Majeed, was a direct beneficiary of the scheme. The agency stated that all relevant records and financial documents were under the custody of Arshad Majeed. The FIA's Ehtesham Gondal informed the court that efforts to recover the funds distributed as salaries to the 18 alleged recruits are ongoing.
The court remanded the five accused into FIA custody for two days, allowing the agency to continue its investigation.
The case emerged after Managing Director APP Muhammad Asim Khichi filed a complaint regarding irregularities done by Moazzam Javed, Haseeb Ahsan, Khawaja Asif and Afzal Hans by appointing fake employees mostly their relatives. The FIA registered an FIR against the accused, alleging forgery and embezzlement. The initial findings revealed that unauthorized appointments were made using forged signatures and fake documents.
The investigation aimed to recover funds and hold those involved accountable. Further hearings are expected to uncover additional details about the alleged misuse of authority and financial misconduct.
