Karachi police book four, including former COO, for alleged scam at fertiliser company

Karachi police have booked former chief operating officer (COO) Muhammad Rafiq Bhojani, his son, and two others including his nephew, for theft and forgery of documents of a private fertiliser company.

The case was registered at Aram Bagh police station under Sections 420 and 408 of the Code of Criminal Procedure on the complaint of Sheikh Anas, the company's secretary, against Rafiq Bhojani, his son, Zain Abbas Bhojani, Anis Abbas and nephew Muzammil Bhojani.

Sheikh Anas had filed a complaint at the police station on May 5, against Rafiq Bhojani and the three others.

“FIR against Rafiq Bhojani and others have been registered while the case has been transferred to investigation wing to further probe a case,” confirmed Aram Bagh SHO Panwan Kumar while talking to The News. “The suspects nominated in the FIR are yet to be arrested as they have gone into hiding.”

SHO Kumar said that the initial investigation revealed that the suspects nominated in the FIR were involved in stealing and forging company documents as well as in criminal activities.

The enquiry by the Secretary of the company started after receiving an alarming letter from a shareholder that holds 1,880,000 shares of the company. In the letter addressed to the Company Secretary, the shareholder requested an audit of discrepancies found in annual returns file by the company.

After an investigation, the Company Secretary learned that company documents were stolen, forged, and criminal activities were conducted by Bhojani, his son Zain Abbas Bhojani, Anis Annas and nephew Muzammil Bhojani.

The authorities are in the process of locating and arresting them, said police.

On March 25, 2021, the Deputy Commissioner Haripur has imposed a ban on any illegal sale, purchase, sifting of immovable or movable assets, and scrap and tree sales from the fertiliser company.

Additionally on April 9, 2021, a letter was written by the deputy commissioner to the Privatisation Commission to file a contempt of court case against Rafiq Bhojani for his illegal activities.

A source close to Bhojani said he rejected the allegations in the FIR and will clear his name.