A magistrate has granted bail to the remaining nine suspects arrested by National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) during a raid on a call centre located on Sharea Faisal in Karachi. The case is linked to allegations of credit card data theft and an alleged international financial fraud network. The court approved bail against surety bonds of Rs200,000 for each suspect, completing the bail proceedings for all 273 individuals taken into custody during the operation. The suspects had remained in custody after the agency requested additional time for investigation and questioning. Their release was ordered subject to the condition that they were not required in any other case.
The nine individuals were the last group among 273 suspects, including women and juveniles, whom NCCIA said it had arrested on November 4 in connection with an inquiry into an alleged international financial fraud network. Following the arrests, the suspects were presented before a magistrate, who subsequently granted bail to 264 individuals. However, the remaining nine were handed over to the agency for further questioning as investigators sought additional time to examine their alleged involvement and gather information related to the case. The latest court order followed the completion of the second physical remand period granted to the investigating agency. With the nine suspects appearing before the magistrate again, the court was required to consider the agency request for further custody alongside the defence request for their release.
During the latest hearing, the investigating officer requested an extension of physical remand, maintaining that the suspects needed to remain in agency custody to facilitate the identification and arrest of their alleged accomplices. The officer argued that additional investigation was necessary to advance the inquiry into the alleged financial fraud network. However, defence lawyers Shahab Sarki and Jam Khizer Jan, representing the nine suspects, opposed the request and asked the court to grant them bail. The defence maintained that the First Information Report (FIR) did not assign any specific roles or individual responsibilities to their clients. According to the lawyers, the allegations recorded in the FIR did not establish the particular involvement of each suspect in the alleged offences. They further described the FIR as a “mere fishing exercise”, arguing that the case lacked sufficient grounds to justify continued detention. The defence also challenged the legal basis of the investigation, stating that the raid had been conducted without obtaining the permission required under Section 33 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
After hearing arguments from both sides, the magistrate declined the request for further physical remand and granted bail to all nine suspects against surety bonds of Rs200,000 each. The court directed the relevant jail authorities to release them unless they were wanted in connection with another case. The decision brings the bail proceedings involving all 273 individuals arrested during the November 4 operation to an end, although the investigation into the alleged international financial fraud network remains a separate matter. The case has drawn attention to the circumstances surrounding the NCCIA raid, the allegations involving credit card data theft and the legal arguments raised by the defence regarding the FIR and the procedure followed during the operation. The latest order also highlights the importance of establishing individual roles and ensuring that investigative proceedings follow the applicable legal requirements when authorities conduct large-scale operations involving multiple suspects.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
