ACE gets five-day remand of suspect in Yellow Line graft case

KARACHI: A former project director of the Karachi Mobility Project has been taken into the custody of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) for five days in a case linked to alleged irregularities of Rs8.5 billion in the Bus Rapid Transit Yellow Line project.

Zameer Abbasi, a grade-19 Sindh government officer, had been absconding for several weeks before being arrested in Lahore and brought to Karachi, according to proceedings before the Special Anti-Corruption (Provincial) Court. He is accused of involvement in the release of Rs8.5bn in advance payments to contractors.

On Tuesday, investigating officer produced Abbasi before Additional District and Sessions Judge (South) Muhammad Aslam Shaikh, who is also the judge in charge of the special anti-corruption court. The investigating officer told the court that the suspect had been arrested in Lahore on June 22 and sought his physical remand for further questioning. The officer also submitted an inquiry committee report that, according to the prosecution, pointed to major financial irregularities in the Yellow Line project.

Inquiry findings and defence objections

According to the inquiry report placed before the court, Abbasi and then director procurement Jhaman Dad authorised advance payments of Rs8.5bn to contractors without obtaining bank guarantees, even though their contracts did not contain any clause allowing advance payments or financial assistance to contractors.

The defence, however, told the court that Abbasi’s family had already moved courts through several applications and petitions, saying he had been taken away by unidentified individuals in Lahore on June 11. Defence counsel argued that the chief minister’s inquiry report did not have legal standing at this stage and could only serve as a basis to start an investigation. They further contended that, under anti-corruption law, a first information report should be lodged only after completion of an inquiry and approval by the competent authority.

The defence also said Abbasi’s father had registered an FIR in Lahore on June 12 over his alleged abduction. The counsel asked the court to discharge the suspect under Section 63 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Court proceedings

State prosecutor Talib Ali Memon told the court that if the suspect was found innocent during the investigation, he would be discharged from the case. Abbasi, while speaking from the witness box, said he had remained in unlawful detention for 11 to 12 days. He also told the court that no document in the matter had been tampered with, forged or fabricated.

Referring to the allegations concerning advance payments made in 2025, the suspect said the work for which material advance payments had been released had already been completed. He further argued that if there had been any intention to receive kickbacks, the payments would have been intentionally delayed.

After hearing both sides, the court handed Abbasi over to ACE on a five-day physical remand and directed the investigating officer to present him again on June 27 along with a progress report.

“No doubt arguments of learned respective counsel for the accused is based on documentary evidence but the irregularities in the arrest enquiry proceedings and grounds of registration of FIR and filing of petitions requires deeper appreciation but at this stage it is an admitted fact that accused is nominated in FIR and as per the record produced by the IO in shape of enquiry report and relevant documents he is required for further investigation,” the court observed.

The case has been registered on behalf of the state under Sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 477-A and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.