LAHORE:
Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday refused to hear national cricketer Muhammad Rizwan’s plea challenging proceedings initiated against him by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), directing him to appear before the agency and answer its questions first.
Chief Justice Lahore High Court Justice Aalia Neelum observed that Rizwan should approach the NCCIA and respond to the questions raised by the agency instead of seeking intervention from the court.
The chief justice was hearing a petition filed by Muhammad Rizwan through his counsel, Qazi Umair Ali.
During the hearing, the court expressed displeasure when the lawyer did not have the case file with him, terming the conduct ‘highly inappropriate.’
The counsel told the court that notices had been issued to Rizwan in connection with betting-related allegations. The chief justice remarked that the petitioner should go and respond to the notices, questioning why he had approached the court.
The court observed that the petitioner had been issued a notice on September 10 and had already complied with it. Justice Aalia Neelum directed Rizwan to appear before the NCCIA and answer the questions put to him, while observing that the petitioner could face a heavy fine for allegedly concealing facts.
The court subsequently dismissed the petition as not maintainable.
Talking to the media after the proceedings, Rizwan’s counsel said the cricketer had ‘nothing to hide’ and that the purpose of approaching the court was to ascertain what exactly was being investigated by the agency.
According to the petition, Rizwan is a law-abiding and respectable citizen who has served Pakistan cricket according to his ability, including as a former captain and wicketkeeper-batsman.
The petition stated that after the Lord’s Test, Rizwan was called to a hotel lobby where an official of a government agency was present. The official allegedly questioned him without serving any prior notice and took possession of his mobile phone.
Rizwan claimed that he handed over the phone on the assurance that it would be returned within three hours, but it had not been returned at the time the petition was filed.
The petition further challenged notices issued by the NCCIA, describing them as unlawful, without jurisdiction and allegedly intended to harass or blackmail him.
It stated that Rizwan had appeared before the NCCIA on September 10 and answered various questions. The petition alleged that the agency had accused him of involvement in online betting and gambling in connection with cricket, which he termed baseless.
Rizwan also contended that the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption Unit was the appropriate forum for dealing with allegations concerning corruption in cricket and alleged that the matter had not been referred to the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit.
The Lahore High Court, however, declined to interfere in the NCCIA proceedings and dismissed the petition, directing Rizwan to appear before the agency and respond to its questions.