Rs 6.5 crore gold missing from FIA Karachi Malkhana,inspector gets five more days of physical remand

A major theft scandal involving approximately Rs6.5 crore worth of gold, silver and diamond jewellery from the Federal Investigation Agency

KARACHI:   A major theft scandal involving approximately Rs6.5 crore worth of gold, silver and diamond jewellery from the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) own Malkhana has raised serious questions about the agency’s internal security arrangements and the alleged negligence of responsible officials.

Judicial Magistrate South-I has granted the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle another five days of physical remand of Inspector Dr Sohail Sheikh Mahmood in connection with the disappearance of the seized valuables from the agency’s Malkhana in Karachi.

The jewellery had been confiscated during an FIA raid in Sarafa Bazaar in the first week of May 2026. The seized items, estimated to be worth around Rs6.5 crore, were subsequently kept in the Malkhana of the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle.

Following the disappearance of the valuables, an FIR was registered against the investigation officer, Dr Sohail Sheikh Mahmood, on October 20, 2026. He had initially been granted seven days of physical remand, which has now been extended by another five days for further investigation.

Following the completion of the remand proceedings, the matter is expected to proceed before the Federal Anti-Corruption Special Court.

Serious Violations of FIA Standard Operating Procedures

The case has exposed several alleged violations of the FIA’s established procedures regarding the custody and protection of seized property.

According to the applicable SOPs, case property valued above Rs25,000 must be deposited with the State Bank of Pakistan rather than being retained in the Malkhana. However, the seized gold was reportedly kept in a locker inside the Malkhana, without any corresponding entry in Malkhana Register No. 19.

Another major concern relates to the relocation of the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle office. During the relevant period, the office was shifted from Pakistan Secretariat, Barrack 46-A, to the third floor of the Karachi Cotton Exchange building.

The new premises had reportedly not even been declared a police station, while the Malkhana continued operating at the old Barrack 46-A location, away from the relocated offices.

Five Months Without Mandatory Inspections

Questions have also emerged regarding the absence of mandatory inspections between May 8 and October 20.

Under FIA procedures, the Director, Circle Head and Station House Officer (SHO) are required to inspect the Malkhana every 15 days and conduct surprise visits to ensure the safety of seized property.

However, no inspection record has reportedly been found for the relevant period, raising concerns about the supervision and monitoring of the facility.

The security arrangements were also allegedly inadequate. CCTV cameras installed at the Malkhana were reportedly non-functional, the digital video recorder (DVR) was missing, and the surveillance system was not connected to an uninterrupted power supply (UPS).

Five FIA Personnel Questioned

During the investigation, the FIA also detained two Assistant Sub-Inspectors, Ghulam Mujtaba and Amanullah Solangi, along with two Head Constables, Tehreem Saeed and Syed Ehsan Ali, and FC personnel Meraj.

The personnel were reportedly questioned for six days but subsequently released after investigators found no evidence against them. The FIA maintained that they had been detained to record their statements.

Accountability Questions Remain

The case has raised serious questions about whether responsibility for the missing valuables should be confined to one inspector or extended to senior officials responsible for supervision.

Why was property worth Rs6.5 crore retained in the Malkhana despite the applicable SOPs? Who was responsible for the absence of inspections, missing register entries and non-functional CCTV cameras? Will Director FIA Karachi, Deputy Director Jair Nisarani, the Circle Head and the SHO also face scrutiny?

So far, the stolen property and the missing CCTV footage have reportedly not been recovered.

The investigation has therefore become a significant test of the FIA’s internal accountability system, with questions mounting over how such a valuable case property could disappear from the custody of the very agency responsible for protecting it.