Shoaib Sheikh remanded in FIA custody for three days

The owner of the private channel allegedly bribed a judge to secure acquittal in fake degree case

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The local court in the federal capital remanded Axact chief executive officer (CEO) and owner of a private news channel Shoaib Sheikh in the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for three days in the gratification case involving an additional sessions Judge.

The Sessions Court Islamabad heard the case. At the outset of the hearing, the prosecutor told the court that the statement of Sessions Judge Pervez Qadir was part of ongoing appeal in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and that the trial court had convicted Shoaib Sheikh along with other co-accused. The Sessions judge had admitted to taking bribe in front of two high court judges, the prosecutor added.

Lawyer Safi Latif Khosa was stopped by the court for repeatedly speaking during the arguments of the prosecutor.

Latif Khosa said if the inquiry was held in 2018 then why the idea of registering case came after five years? "A verbal statement cannot be considered as a confessional statement," he said.

Judicial Magistrate Umar Shabir granted three-day physical remand of accused Shoaib Shaikh and handed him over to FIA.

-- FIA arrests Shoaib --

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday arrested Shoaib Sheikh in connection with a graft case registered against him and an ex-additional district and sessions judge of Islamabad. 

The FIR was lodged at the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle on Wednesday under sections 161, 165-A, and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) along with the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 section 5(2). 

According to the first information report, the Anti-Corruption Circle, Islamabad, conducted an inquiry into a reference sent by additional registrar of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Feb 17, 2018. It transpired during inquiry that former additional district and sessions judge Pervaizul Qadir Memon had admittedly received Rs5 million for the acquittal of Shoaib Sheikh in a case titled ‘The state vs Shoaib Ahmed Sheikh’. 

As per the FIR, this prima facie constitutes offences of misuse of authority for illegal personal gains and criminal misconduct, hence, after approval from competent authority, a case is registered against Pervaizul Qadir Memon on charges of taking illegal gratification for acquitting Shoaib Ahmed Sheikh through judgment and Shoaib Sheikh for being beneficiary of the transaction. 

An FIA spokesperson said the agency had started investigating Sheikh following his arrest. The judge, too, was nominated in the case. 

In February 2023, the FIA summoned the businessmen in connection with the bribe case. He, however, didn't appear before the probe team.