IHC to register case against Shoaib Sheikh, dismissed judge: sources

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has decided for registration of a case against Shoaib Sheikh and dismissed judge Pervaiz-ul-Qadir Memon in Axact fake degree scandal case, sources told Geo News Saturday.

The Axact fake degree scandal case took an important turn on Saturday after the IHC administration decided to approach the Federal Investigation Agency for registration of an FIR against CEO Axact Shoaib Sheikh and Pervaiz-ul-Qadir Memon, the judge who was dismissed after he confessed to receiving Rs5 million bribe to exonerate Sheikh, according to sources.

The matter of registration of a case against the two accused has been forwarded to the IHC chief justice for approval, sources said. Once approved, the IHC administration will formally submit an application with the FIA for the registration of a case.

The case will be registered under the Pakistan Penal Code and anti-bribery act, they added.

The offence is punishable by 3 and 7 years imprisonment and/or fine under the PPC and anti-bribery act respectively.

Earlier on Thursday, the IHC removed Additional District and Sessions Judge Pervaiz-ul-Qadir Memon from service after he confessed to receiving Rs5 million for acquitting Shoaib Sheikh in Axact fake degree scandal case.

The hearing over the fake degree case was held on October 31, 2016, in which bail was granted to Sheikh.

The issue came to the fore in May 2016 when The New York Times published an article, claiming Axact sold fake degrees online through hundreds of fictitious schools.

After the issue surfaced, the offices of the company were sealed and its chief executive officer and other officials were arrested.

The Supreme Court, hearing the suo motu notice of the Axact scandal on February 9 this year, had ordered the Islamabad and Sindh high courts to wrap up the appeals against the suspects' acquittal within weeks.

On Tuesday, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also pleaded before the IHC against the trial court's order acquitting all the accused in Axact fake degree case.

Deputy Attorney General Raja Khalid Mahmood pleaded the bench to nullify the suspect's acquittal, noting that the additional district and sessions court judge had accepted receiving a bribe for exonerating the accused.

The hearing was then adjourned until Feb 22 after the court sought a response on the current status of the judge.

Similar appeal in SHC

On Monday, the FIA filed a similar appeal in the Sindh High Court against the acquittal of Axact chief Shoaib Sheikh and other accused by a district court in the money laundering case against them.

The two-member SHC bench issued a notice to the Axact chairman, its chief executive officer, and FIA to appear before it on Thursday (today).

Sheikh, however, did not appear before the SHC.

At this the court expressed its displeasure and ordered Sheikh's counsel, Imdad Advocate, to present his client's medical certificate in court and also summoned Sheikh at the next hearing on Feb 21.