Rawalpindi: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has dispatched an initial report of the Axact fake degree scandal to the Interior Ministry today.

The report carries statements of at least 23 employees, data retrieved from two main servers and as many as 40 computers.

The department has carried out a second raid in two days at the Axact Rawalpindi office. Earlier, the institution issued an official notification ordering Axact chief executive officer (CEO) Shoaib Ahmed Sheikh to appear before the department for interrogation in the fake degrees scandal.

The FIA Corporate Crime Circle has ordered Sheikh to appear before the authorities. According to the sources, the authorities will interrogate Sheikh. The department will also investigate the authenticity of the documents seized from the Axact offices. However, in a reply from Axact, the department has been informed that Sheikh is unable to appear today. The company added that the CEO will appear before the authorities on Thursday.

FIA’s cyber crime wing raided Axact’s Karachi and Islamabad offices and took control of data from key departments including Human Resources.

The main computer server was also seized and web hosting record of the company for the past 10 years was sought.

FIA took 32 staffers into custody. The FIA has formed a 7-member team to probe the allegations against the company.

The team is headed by Sindh Director Shahid Hayat and involves Higher Education Commission (HEC).

Meanwhile Minister of State for IT Anusha Rehman  stated that the Axact scandal has occurred due to absence of cyber crime law.

She gave these remarks during meeting of the NA Standing Committee chaired by Captain (retd) Safdar.

The minister stated that this scandal has proved that cyber crime could easily take place in the country.

“They are the one who do not want passage of cyber crime bill,” she added.

Ali Raza Abidi, another member of the committee, said truth behind Axact scandal would surface soon. He stressed that cyber crime bill is very crucial.