The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered a case and initiated an inquiry against former first lady’s close friend, Farhat Shahzadi who is famously known as Farah Gogi for alleged money laundering, assets beyond means and for getting kickbacks worth billions of rupees.
As per the details, Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has referred the matter to the investigation agency following which FIA has registered a money laundering case against her.
‘Illegally allotted plot to her company’
Sources from FIA confirmed that as per initial investigation she had illegally acquired allotted agricultural land in Faisalabad Industrial Estate measuring 10 acres of land worth Rs 600 million to her company Al-Moiz Dairies and Food Limited in just Rs 83 million.
“The company buying the plot also had to have a value of Rs2 billion to acquire the plot and rules and regulations were violated in this regard too.”
‘Money laundering worth Rs 849 million’
“We have registered a case of Rs 849 million against Farah Gogi on the request of ACE,” the official said.
Senior officials privy to the investigation further said that as per the initial investigation, it surfaced that unusual transactions worth around Rs 849 million were credited in Gogi’s personal bank account in the last three years of PTI government and these transactions do not match her source of income.
Senior official from the financial monitoring unit (FMU) confirmed that in total more than Rs 1 billion in the form of cash were deposited in different bank accounts of Gogi during PTI’s tenure. “About Rs 410 million were deposited in her accounts alone in 2019 and 2020.“
‘Gogi used political influence to transfer RPOs, DPOs and Commissioners’
A senior official who is privy to this development confirmed that during the investigation it was revealed that after taking bribes worth billions of rupees Gogi has transferred number of regional police officers, commissioners, district police officers, deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners and other officials during the four years tenure of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government.
As per the FIR, Gogi took millions of rupees in the shape of bribe for illegally awarding contract tenders by pressuring government officials. “She has used her influence to award tenders and contracts to her blue-eyed businessman after breaking the rules and regulations,” sources maintained.
Sources further told TFT that Gogi had also influenced the XEN local government, Sheikhupura, Mudasar Jinnah to award an Rs 80 million and she has received kickbacks in this matter.
‘Assets beyond means’
Sources from FIA also apprised this scribe that during the initial investigation assets worth Rs 520 million have also surfaced in the name of Gogi in the shape of commercial and residential plots, plazas, bungalows in Lahore and Islamabad during PTI’s tenure.
“It is likely that more benami accounts worth billions of rupees would also emerge during the investigation,” he predicted as it is already found that she had made billions of rupees through corruption, bribery and illegal political influence and pressure and then made assets through money laundering.
A senior official from anti-money laundering circle of FIA which has registered an FIR against Gogi said FIA Lahore has widened its scope of investigation and the case is registered against her under section three and four of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
“It is very much likely that more names surface during the course of investigation of major politicians and bureaucrats who were partners in the crime with Gogi and had some connection with her black ill gotten money.
‘Senior bureaucrats may attempt to influence this case’
A senior bureaucrat who works at the Prime Minister secretariat said that keeping in mind the sensitivity and importance of this case many senior bureaucrats who were partners in her crimes by force or by will may try to influence this case in order to save their skins.
“Senior officials including RPOs, DPOs, Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners who had joined hands with Gogi might make an all out effort to influence this case or at least clear their names from the ongoing investigation,” a senior official feared.
Sources recalled that during Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s tenure in Punjab the ACE gave a clean chit to Gogi on October 23 in a corruption case registered against Gogi and her mother was disposed of by Lahore High Court.
As per the details, Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has referred the matter to the investigation agency following which FIA has registered a money laundering case against her.
‘Illegally allotted plot to her company’
Sources from FIA confirmed that as per initial investigation she had illegally acquired allotted agricultural land in Faisalabad Industrial Estate measuring 10 acres of land worth Rs 600 million to her company Al-Moiz Dairies and Food Limited in just Rs 83 million.
“The company buying the plot also had to have a value of Rs2 billion to acquire the plot and rules and regulations were violated in this regard too.”
‘Money laundering worth Rs 849 million’
“We have registered a case of Rs 849 million against Farah Gogi on the request of ACE,” the official said.
Senior officials privy to the investigation further said that as per the initial investigation, it surfaced that unusual transactions worth around Rs 849 million were credited in Gogi’s personal bank account in the last three years of PTI government and these transactions do not match her source of income.
Senior official from the financial monitoring unit (FMU) confirmed that in total more than Rs 1 billion in the form of cash were deposited in different bank accounts of Gogi during PTI’s tenure. “About Rs 410 million were deposited in her accounts alone in 2019 and 2020.“
‘Gogi used political influence to transfer RPOs, DPOs and Commissioners’
A senior official who is privy to this development confirmed that during the investigation it was revealed that after taking bribes worth billions of rupees Gogi has transferred number of regional police officers, commissioners, district police officers, deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners and other officials during the four years tenure of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government.
As per the FIR, Gogi took millions of rupees in the shape of bribe for illegally awarding contract tenders by pressuring government officials. “She has used her influence to award tenders and contracts to her blue-eyed businessman after breaking the rules and regulations,” sources maintained.
Sources further told TFT that Gogi had also influenced the XEN local government, Sheikhupura, Mudasar Jinnah to award an Rs 80 million and she has received kickbacks in this matter.
‘Assets beyond means’
Sources from FIA also apprised this scribe that during the initial investigation assets worth Rs 520 million have also surfaced in the name of Gogi in the shape of commercial and residential plots, plazas, bungalows in Lahore and Islamabad during PTI’s tenure.
“It is likely that more benami accounts worth billions of rupees would also emerge during the investigation,” he predicted as it is already found that she had made billions of rupees through corruption, bribery and illegal political influence and pressure and then made assets through money laundering.
A senior official from anti-money laundering circle of FIA which has registered an FIR against Gogi said FIA Lahore has widened its scope of investigation and the case is registered against her under section three and four of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
“It is very much likely that more names surface during the course of investigation of major politicians and bureaucrats who were partners in the crime with Gogi and had some connection with her black ill gotten money.
‘Senior bureaucrats may attempt to influence this case’
A senior bureaucrat who works at the Prime Minister secretariat said that keeping in mind the sensitivity and importance of this case many senior bureaucrats who were partners in her crimes by force or by will may try to influence this case in order to save their skins.
“Senior officials including RPOs, DPOs, Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners who had joined hands with Gogi might make an all out effort to influence this case or at least clear their names from the ongoing investigation,” a senior official feared.
Sources recalled that during Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s tenure in Punjab the ACE gave a clean chit to Gogi on October 23 in a corruption case registered against Gogi and her mother was disposed of by Lahore High Court.