FIA summons Shahbaz Sharif in sugar scandal probe
June 15, 2021
- FIA summons Shahbaz Sharif on June 22.
- Warns of arrest in case of non-appearance.
- FIA says it had sent several notices to Shahbaz.
The Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Lahore wing on Tuesday summoned Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif in its ongoing probe into the sugar scandal that led to a shortage and an extraordinary hike in the commodity's prices.
The FIA, in the notice, served to the PML-N president, said he would have to appear before the anti-corruption watchdog on June 22, and if he fails to do so, he could be sent to prison.
The notice further said that Shahbaz had to answer questions about peons and other low-grade employees of the Al-Arabia Sugar Mills and Ramzan Sugar Mills receiving Rs25 billion.
"Are you aware of the deposit and withdrawal of Rs25 billion in fake accounts associated with the Ramzan Sugar Mills, Al-Arabiya Sugar Mills, and others?" the notice asked.
The notice said that Shahbaz was sent a questionnaire twice and he did not respond. "You (Shahbaz) were sent a notice for the second time in January. You had said that Ata Tarar would respond on your behalf, but he never did."
On May 30, Prime Minister Imran Khan okayed decisive action against owners of 38 sugar mills — a fresh move that granted permission to FIA to arrest a few millers who were already facing money laundering, sugar satta, and insider trading charges.
PM Imran Khan advised Special Assistant on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar to direct the FIA Lahore to submit its conclusive report on millers within the next four weeks, informed officials told Geo News on Sunday.
At the time this news was reported, 14 FIRs of satta-driven artificial price hikes had been registered by FIA teams. Six more FIRs were to be lodged in the coming weeks.
The FIA teams had claimed they have evidence against 38 sugar mills leading to illicit gains and money-laundering of around Rs110 billion.
One FIR was registered over organised banking fraud to cover illicit gains from extraneous sources of over Rs25 billion from 2008-2018 through the operation of 20 bogus accounts in the name of peons/clerks of Ramzan Sugar Mills leading to allegedly money-laundering by Sharif (Shahbaz Sharif) family.
“[Alleged] corporate fraud by Al-Arabia Sugar Mills through GNC undisclosed (grantis) sales and accounting jugglery of reversal of sales — inexplicable transfer of Rs1.195 billion by Al-Arabia to Ramzan Sugar Mills not disclosed in financial statements — inexplicable transfer of Rs402 million by Al-Arabia to Sharif Feed Mills and Sharif D. Farms since 2017-18," the official document further read.
