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A Lahore court on Friday extended the physical remand of six National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency officials for another three days in the ongoing corruption case. The officials are accused of misusing their authority, extorting money, and receiving illicit payments. The inquiry stems from an FIR filed with the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle Lahore by Aroob Jatoi, wife of YouTuber Saadur Rehman, widely known as Ducky Bhai, who is himself in custody over allegations of promoting gambling applications on social media.
The FIR names nine individuals in total, including eight NCCIA personnel. The six officials currently in FIA custody had reportedly been untraceable for several days before the agency confirmed their arrest earlier this week. The suspects include Lahore NCCIA Additional Director Sarfraz Chaudhry, Acting Deputy Director Zawar Ahmad, Sub-Inspector Ali Raza, Assistant Director Shoaib Riaz, Sub-Inspector Yasir Ramzan, and Assistant Director Mujtaba Zafar.
The investigation found that Assistant Director Shoaib Riaz allegedly extorted millions from Saad ur Rehman’s family through intermediaries. Of this, Rs60 million was reportedly taken in cash, while Rs30 million was collected via three cheques, each worth Rs10 million. The bribe was allegedly distributed among several NCCIA officers and their associates.
According to the inquiry report, out of the total bribe amount, Rs5 million was kept by Shoaib Riaz at the Carzone showroom owned by a close friend of Deputy Director Zawar Ahmed, Rs5 million by Muhammad Usman, Rs5 million by lawyer Chaudhry Usman, Rs2 million by Shoaib Riaz himself, Rs1.5 million was handed to his front man Salman Aziz, and Rs1.05 million was delivered to Additional Director Sarfraz Chaudhry. Riaz allegedly also transferred $326,420 from the accounts of Ducky Bhai to his own account via the Binance cryptocurrency platform.
FIA Seeks Extended Remand as Court Grants Only Three Days
All six were brought before Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo, where the FIA’s investigating officer sought an additional 11 days of physical remand to advance the probe. The court granted a shorter period of three days, directing the FIA to produce the suspects again on Monday.
According to the court order, the defence counsels argued that their clients had been wrongfully implicated or that the complaint against them contained discrepancies. They also disputed the nature and legitimacy of the recoveries made during the investigation. However, the FIA’s legal representative dismissed these objections, describing the matter as a significant white collar crime requiring further inquiry.
The court noted in its written order that substantial sums of money had already been recovered from the accused during the initial remand period. It stated that questions raised by the defence regarding the recoveries could not be adjudicated at this early stage. The order added that the investigation had progressed and that the FIA’s request for extended custody appeared justified based on the evidence collected so far.
