SHC seeks Axact CEO’s medical certificate upon absence in money laundering case

KARACHI: Expressing displeasure over absence of Axact Chief Operating Officer (CEO) Shoaib Shaikh in a money laundering case, the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday directed his lawyer to submit Shoaib’s medical certificate, if he was ill.

Hearing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) plea against Axact CEO’s acquittal in money laundering case, a division headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto asked his lawyers why he didn’t appear before the court.

Shoaib’s lawyer Imdad Advocate informed the judges that he was suffering from a disease that’s why could not make it to the court. The court directed the defence counsel to place on record Shoaib’s medical certificate and put off the hearing till Feb 21.

The FIA had approached the SHC against the verdict of district and sessions court passed that acquitted the Axact chief in the case. Hearing an application under section 265-K of Criminal Procedure Code, the trial court had relived him from the charges.

In its plea challenging the trial court’s verdict, the FIA maintained that the district and sessions court did not follow due procedure while acquitting Shoaib.

The FIA prosecutor requested the SHC to order setting aside the impugned verdict, maintaining that there were sufficient evidences against the Axact CEO.

The money laundering case established along withe the main case pertaining to fake degrees. The scandal came to limelight when the New York Times published an investigative report alleging that Axact was involved in selling fake degrees online.