New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Composite Circle booked a case against three of its officers, along with their accomplices over alleged corruption, bribery, extortion and abuse of authority.

The accused have been taken into custody after the corruption scandal surfaced in the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Gujranwala.

The NCCIA allegedly released suspects involved in online fraud cases after accepting bribes of “millions of rupees,” the report from Express Tribune said.

Following reports from intelligence agencies and a citizen’s complaint, the FIA initiated action and registered an FIR, it said.

According to the FIR, complainant Muzammil Iqbal, a resident of Garden Town, Gujranwala, said that he received information on certain FIA Cyber Crime Wing officers extracting huge sums from accused persons with the help of private associates.

On February 2, 2025, unidentified men entered Iqbal’s house, introduced themselves as FIA officials, held family members hostage, seized mobile phones and subjected male members of the family to torture before blindfolding them and confining them to a room.

The complainant alleged that 15 mobile phones, a laptop, a car, cash and ATM cards were confiscated and his family was questioned about online business activities and cryptocurrency at the FIA Cyber Crime office.

The victims were forced to pay large amounts of cash, cryptocurrency and money through bank transactions at different times, while further payments were demanded to avoid legal action, according to the FIR.

Some items were later returned, but cash and one mobile phone were not.

Another victim, Salman Raza, alleged that his family was abducted, tortured and a demand of Rs 50 million was made.

Muzammil Iqbal claimed that after negotiations involving FIA personnel, a “deal” was finalised for Rs 30 million, out of which Rs 3 million in cash and around Rs 1.5 million through bank and ATM transactions were paid before their release.

–IANS

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