The Supreme Court has warned that it will order registration of cases against the NAB and police officials tasked to arrest former Ogra chairman Tauqir Sadiq if the fugitive is not arrested soon.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain had given December 31 deadline to arrest and present the high profile fugitive who is wanted in Rs83 billion scam.The Punjab Police and the Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) on Monday gave contradictory statements before the court regarding the whereabouts of the former head of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra).

Punjab Inspector General of Police Haji Habibur Rehman told the bench that Tauqir’s wife Saiqa and their two daughters had flown to Nepalese capital Kathmandu some days ago. He said they doubted that Tauqir might also be there so they have dispatched a three-member team to Nepal to arrest him.When the court inquired as to how Tauqir’s family escaped to Nepal, the IGP replied that FIA could better tell about it as the agency personnel perform duty at the airports.

Later, FIA Director (Legal) Azam Khan appeared before the bench and told that Tauqir’s family left for Katmandu on December 10 from Karachi airport on PK-268. He however said they have no record showing Tauqir’s leaving the country.Justice Khilji Arif Hussain remarked that no one is interested in nabbing Tauqir Sadiq despite the fact that he was responsible for causing Rs83 billion loss to the national kitty and not a single penny had been recovered yet. NAB Deputy Prosecutor Fozi Kazim informed the court that Shahzad Bhatti, a front man of Tauqeer Sadiq, has been arrested and they recovered from him Rs6 million.The court ruled that both the NAB and police would be dealt in accordance with law upon their failure.

Justice Jawwd said that in 13 months the NAB and police failed to arrest the accused, adding that the court could ask for the registration of cases against the NAB and police officials tasked with the arrest of Tauqir Sadiq. The court directed NAB to submit comprehensive report on January 2 pertaining to the arrest of Tauqir and tell the court as to what action NAB is taking against those officers who are not making any effort to arrest Tauqeer Sadiq.