OGRA scam: SC seeks report on Tauqir Sadiq fleeing the country

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) resumed hearing the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) scam case involving its former chairman Tauqeer Sadiq Wednesday, Geo News reported.

The SC bench headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja heard the case where the acting Inspector General Punjab said he could not find any record pertaining to the departure of the former OGRA chief. The acting IG Punjab informed the court that Tauqeer Sadiq had left the country on November 28 and had two passports.

The court summoned a detailed report on how the high profile fugitive managed to get two passports, and directed the acting IG Punjab to submit a report regarding the arrest of Sadiq in one week. The report should explain who helped Sadiq flee the country.

Justice Jawwad Khawaja expressed astonishment and said that a man has embezzled Rs 82 billion and has disappeared while the police are unable to arrest him. He reprimanded police and said that it is their duty to apprehend him.

During the hearing, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials said that the immigration department can be contacted to extract information that how Tauqir Sadiq was issued two passports and Interpol would be contacted to issue a red warrant. His family has already provided the ticket details to National Accountability Bureau (NAB), according to which the tickets were issued through an agent in Peshawar.

The family members were due to arrive on December 31 but they did not come.

Justice Jawwad remarked that BlackBerry company and the people in Canada know about the whereabouts of the people but the investigation agencies have no knowledge about the accused. He further said that it was revealed five days ago through the BlackBerry company that Tauqeer Sadiq had sent a message to someone.

During Monday’s hearing, Inspector General Punjab Police Chuadhry Habib-ur-Rehman had informed the court that the former OGRA chairman might have fled to Nepal and a team has been sent there to arrest him.

He further said that three daughters of Tauqeer Sadiq were in Nepal and probably he was also there. IG Punjab said that his front man had been arrested three days ago.

On this, Justice Jawwad Khawaja asked that through which airline his daughters went to Nepal and what the team has reported so far. He also remarked that how Tauqeer Sadiq managed to escape as cameras are installed at the airport.

Later, the court summoned the report of airport cameras and finger print records.

The SC had given the deadline of December 31 to arrest and present the high profile fugitive and former chairman OGRA Tauqir Sadiq who is involved in a scam.