A special court on Wednesday has dismissed post-arrest bail applications of six accused in the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) mega corruption case, where millions of rupees were allegedly transferred into private accounts without approval.
Special Judge Central Humayun Dilawar announced the decision after hearing the bail pleas of six former officials: Muhammad Ghawas, Idrees Chaudhry, Sajid Ali Warraich, Imran Munir, Khurram Shehzad and Tahir Ghumman. During the proceedings, the APP was represented by senior lawyers Khurram Baig, Ruhail Asghar, and Hasnain Haider Thaheem, while separate defence counsels appeared for the accused.
The judge questioned FIA officials about which accused had received the funds. FIA submitted that in three years, Rs 80 millions were transferred into the account of former account manager Arshad Majeed Chaudhry, including Rs 60 millions under the head of salary. In the same period, nearly Rs 90 millions were deposited into the account of former cashier Azhar Farooq.
APP’s lawyer Ruhail Asghar informed the court that certified bank records had been provided to FIA, proving that funds were transferred from current accounts, provident funds, and other APP accounts without any authorization from competent authorities.
The prosecution maintained that all 16 accused named in the case acted jointly. Funds transferred into a few accounts were later withdrawn and shared among the group.
Lawyer Khurram Baig pointed out that a fake name “AHS” was used in the salary account, linked to Arshad Majeed Chaudhry’s ID card, to carry out unlawful transfers. He further argued that even those responsible for auditing were involved, as they allowed large sums to be moved for years without reporting irregularities.
Counsel Hasnain Haider Thaheem stated that Muhammad Ghawas, a former Executive Director, had signed off on the illegal transfers worth millions of rupees. He had also written to the Accountant General Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) requesting release of funds, making him directly responsible. The court was informed that the Federal Finance Committee (FFC) report had also held the accused responsible.
During the hearing, a lawyer representing Idrees Chaudhry attempted to address APP’s legal manager directly, but the judge interrupted, asking him to focus only on his client’s defence.
Defence counsels for Idrees Chaudhry and Tahir Ghumman argued that salary vouchers were signed by Arshad Majeed and Muhammad Ghawas, suggesting their primary responsibility.
In response, APP’s lawyer Ruhail Asghar stressed that both men served as audit officers, and their failure to report financial irregularities highlighted their direct involvement. He said both had signed credit sheets and vouchers, making them accountable. He urged the court to reject bail, arguing that Section 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code applied to their role in the misappropriation.
Ruhail Asghar also noted that Idrees Ahmad had signed vouchers worth Rs 35 millions, while Khurram Shehzad, in charge of the provident fund, had signed cheques worth Rs 95 millions.