On October 1, a Special Court of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) rejected the post-arrest bail applications of six accused in the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) corruption case. The case involves the alleged embezzlement of over Rs1.24 billion from the state news agency. Presided over by Judge Humayun Dilawar, the court dismissed the bail petitions following detailed arguments on the misuse of funds at APP.
The accused, identified as Muhammad Ghawas, Idrees Chaudhry, Sajid Ali Warraich, Imran Munir, Khurram Shehzad, and Tahir Ghumman, faced charges related to the illegal transfer and misappropriation of funds, including the diversion of salary and provident funds into private accounts. During the proceedings, the prosecution presented evidence showing unauthorized transfers amounting to millions of rupees into the accounts of former officials over three years.
Lawyers representing the APP, including senior attorneys Khurram Baig, Ruhail Asghar, and Hasnain Haider Thaheem, argued that the transferred funds were withdrawn and shared among the accused, highlighting the collective involvement in the scheme. They pointed to specific instances, such as the significant amounts signed off by Muhammad Ghawas and the misuse of provident funds managed by Khurram Shehzad.
The defense attempted to mitigate the responsibility of their clients by pointing to the roles of other officials involved in signing off on the transactions. However, the court was presented with detailed bank records and financial documents supporting the charges of widespread financial irregularities.
The investigation into the corruption began after APP management lodged a complaint, leading to a fact-finding committee uncovering Rs1.24 billion in embezzled funds through unauthorized transactions and manipulated financial records. The committee’s findings prompted the referral of the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Judge Dilawar, in his verdict, noted the severe breach of trust and misuse of authority, underscoring the established collective role of the accused in the financial mismanagement. The decision follows a previous court ruling in September, which also rejected pre-arrest bail for 13 accused, leading to the immediate arrest of seven individuals directly from the courtroom.
This case continues to unfold as investigations reveal the depth of the corruption involving senior officials, auditors, and account managers at APP. Seven of the 16 accused remain confined in Adiala Jail, with future proceedings expected to further address the extensive financial misconduct.
