Hajj scam probe: Supreme Court warns FIA DG against adopting leniency

The Supreme Court on Thursday warned the Director General (DG) Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Waseem Ahmed against adopting a lenient approach in probing the alleged corruption and mishandling of Haj affairs, terming his conduct as disappointing keeping in view the nature of the issue. This is a high-profile case involving prestige of the country but an inspector of the FIA has been appointed for the investigation. How an inspector could investigate the Secretary or Minister for Religious Affairs, the Chief Justice wondered.
Meanwhile, the six-member special bench hearing the case directed Federal Minister of Science and Technology, Azam Khan Swati to submit documentary evidence substantiating scale of massive corruption in Haj affairs till December 13. Swati insisted that Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Hamid Saeed Kazmi was the 'lynchpin' in the Haj affairs corruption case.
Waseem Ahmed informed that the corruption was of millions of rupees however, recovery had yet to be made. FIA chief's statement that an "interview" of Minister for Religious Affairs has been conducted prompted Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday to ask him under which law he had ordered "interview" and why statement of the minister was not recorded according to the law.
TV anchor that you are conducting interviews instead of recording statements," questioned Justice Ramday but Waseem Ahmed, DG FIA even did not know the relevant provision of the law meant for recording statement of an accused. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed "this novel procedure of investigation is not understandable.
He referred to several provisions of law that were to be incorporated in the FIR and said it entails provisions of bailable and lesser punishment. Earlier, Waseem Ahmed told the bench that in view of the recommendations of the committee of two senators and three MNAs the FIR was registered in the case.
During the hearing, former Director General Haj, Rao Shakeel denied allegations of corruption and said that accommodation for all the pilgrims was hired on merit. He said that he dismissed an officer Ahmed Faiz on corruption charges. The court directed him as well to submit his statement on or before the next date of hearing.
Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro, a parliamentary committee member who recently visited Saudi Arabia, accusing officials of the Haj Directorate of involvement in corrupt practices, complaints sent by three members of the National Assembly and two of the Senate, a letter sent to the Chief Justice by Saudi Prince Bandar Bin Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud alleging embezzlement and a number of applications received by Justice Ramday in person during the performance of Haj from pilgrims narrating their ordeals and complaining about corruption and mismanagement in Haj arrangements. In addition, 22 pilgrims had submitted an application.