FIA confirms custody of cybercrime agency NCCIA officer in bribery case

ISLAMABAD: In a new twist, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has confirmed the arrest of National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Deputy Director Muhammad Usman, who was ‘kidnapped’ from Islamabad earlier this month.

According to the FIA, Usman has been taken into custody in a case involving abuse of authority, bribery, and extortion.

He was reportedly abducted from the basement parking area of Zara Heights in Islamabad’s H-13 Sector on October 18. CCTV footage showed four armed men stopping his car and forcibly taking him away in a white Corolla.

Later, Islamabad High Court (IHC) Judge Justice Muhammad Azam Khan directed the capital police to recover the missing NCCIA officer while hearing a petition filed by Usman’s wife, Rozina Usman. During the hearing, it was also revealed that Rozina had herself gone missing.

A brief order issued by Lahore Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo on October 29 revealed that Muhammad Usman was in the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and had been remanded for three days, with directions to produce him before a district court on Saturday.

According to the remand request submitted by the FIA investigating officer, the NCCIA deputy director was arrested on Wednesday on charges of misuse of authority and bribery in collusion with other officers.

Muhammad Usman was named in a case registered earlier this week by YouTuber Saad-ur-Rehman — popularly known as Ducky Bhai’s his wife, Aroob Jatoi. The case accuses NCCIA officers of extortion following Ducky Bhai’s arrest over promoting gambling apps on social media.

The FIR named Muhammad Usman and six other NCCIA officials from Lahore and Islamabad, including Deputy Director Ayaz Khan and Inspector Salman Aziz.

The case was filed under Sections 109 (abetment of offence) and 161 (public servant accepting gratification other than legal remuneration) of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with Section 5(2)47 of the Anti-Corruption Act, which pertains to criminal misconduct by public servants.

The FIR stated that the NCCIA had arrested Saad-ur-Rehman, and the investigation was assigned to Assistant Director Shoaib Riaz of the Lahore office.

During the probe, Riaz allegedly misused his authority and, through his associates, received a Rs9 million bribe from the YouTuber’s family. He was also accused of colluding with the YouTuber’s lawyer, Chaudhry Usman.

According to the FIR, Riaz took Rs6 million under the pretext of providing “relief” to Aroob Jatoi and another Rs3 million for securing judicial remand for Saad-ur-Rehman, who was then in physical remand.

In August, Riaz reportedly collected Rs6 million in cash through an associate named Aziz in Sheikhupura, while the remaining Rs3 million were received via three cheques of Rs1 million each through another frontman, Shahbaz.

The FIR further alleged that Riaz kept Rs2 million for himself, gave Rs0.5 million each to Inspector Salman Aziz, lawyer Chaudhry Usman, and Additional Director Sarfraz, and deposited Rs5 million with a friend of acting Deputy Director Zawar Ahmed.

It also said that Riaz transferred $326,420 from Saad-ur-Rehman’s Binance account to his own account.

The FIR added that the accused officers “deceived the family of the arrested YouTuber by taking money on the pretext of offering relief and misused their authority.”

It also alleged that the suspects operated as part of a network that collected monthly bribes from call centres, companies, and individuals involved in online fraud. After keeping their share, they allegedly sent the remaining money to senior officers.

The FIR said that Lahore-based directors Zawar and Sarfraz sent about Rs1 million every month to two Islamabad-based deputy directors, Muhammad Usman and Ayaz, who then forwarded the money to “higher-ups.”

The investigation into the case has been assigned to FIA Lahore Anti-Corruption Circle Assistant Director Syed Zain-ul-Abideen.