Sources said that on October 19, 2018, DGI&I Officer Irfan Ghani, on the directives of Rafiq Mahar, the unofficial superintendent of Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) of DGI&I Karachi, conducted a fake raid at a warehouse in Jodia Bazaar where betel nuts were stored. The raid was conducted without Magistrate's presence for extortion.
The accused DGI&I officer Irfan along with private armed persons, who reportedly wore the uniforms of customs sepoys, looted around Rs 2.7 million from the locker during fake raid. Reacting on this illicit action by DGI&I Karachi officials, business community at Jodia Bazaar, who had been harassed for months by these customs intelligence officers, threatened to observe strike, forcing the top bureaucracy of DGI&I, Karachi to take disciplinary action against them.
However, the top bureaucracy who had kept mum and taken no action against any intelligence official involved in such heinous crime with the best reason known to them, detained only private armed persons and recovered looted money from a flat, which was said to be owned by Irfan Ghani, the customs intelligence officer.
Meanwhile, sources said the action was nothing but an eyewash because no inquiry has so far been initiated against Irfan Ghani and Rafiq Mahar, despite the fact that the leaked video has clearly shown the intelligence officer distributing looted money, which has also been recovered from the flat owned by Irfan Ghani.
Sources further said that Saif Hashmi was official superintendent of ASO but the accused Rafiq Mahar, who was posted in appraisement department of DGI&I took the charge with the consent of top customs intelligence officers hence no ASO action was taken without his approval.
When contacted, Director DGI&I Fayyaz Anwar asserted he had no knowledge of the issue because he was on leave and remained out of station for last five days. However, he clarified he was informed that it was a joint raid conducted by DGI&I, Karachi, Sindh Rangers and police.
However, the sources claimed the custodians of warehouse, who shifted eight trucks of betel nuts before the raid, engaged in a quarrel with customs intelligence officers whom they had given Rs 2.5 million bribe on monthly basis. The quarrel led to exchange of fire due to which Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) and area police also rushed to the spot.
Director DGI&I Fayyaz avoided commenting on the particular case but disclosed that the department was still considering taking action against the 'blue-eyed' customs intelligence officials, who were known for harassing business community and patronizing the trade of contraband goods for undue gains.