A Sessions Court in Karachi East has dismissed a cybercrime case involving senior officials of a private software house named Digitonics Labs, concluding proceedings after finding insufficient evidence, absence of complainants, and procedural irregularities in the investigation.
The case, registered under FIR No. 03/2021, had been filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cybercrime Wing against 16 individuals associated with Digitonics Labs Pvt Ltd. Among those named were company owner Junaid Mansoor and CEO Muhammad Burhan Mirza.
The prosecution had initially alleged that the accused were involved in running fraudulent online platforms offering services such as logo design, web development, and trademark registration.
According to the FIA, these platforms were allegedly used to impersonate officials from foreign jurisdictions, including the US, UK, and the UAE, in order to solicit payments for fake trademark registrations. During earlier raids conducted at Digitonics Labs’ Karachi offices, FIA officials seized the employees laptops and mobile phones. The initial claims suggested that the company had incriminating materials, including alleged customer credit card data and forged certificate documents. However, subsequent forensic examinations failed to substantiate these allegations in a manner sufficient for prosecution.
In its final report submitted to the court, the FIA recommended closure of the case under a “C-class” category, citing a lack of prosecutable evidence. The prosecution team also supported the recommendation, acknowledging that forensic findings did not confirm allegations of fraud, extortion, or money laundering. A key factor noted by the court was the absence of complainants. According to the judgment, no aggrieved individuals or entities had come forward to formally support the allegations or provide testimony. The court observed that the lack of direct complainants significantly weakened the foundation of the prosecution’s case.
In the case against Digitonics Lab, the presiding judge, Abdul Naeem Memon, also highlighted procedural concerns during the investigation phase. The order noted that no search warrants were obtained under Section 33 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), which governs the legal framework for digital searches and seizures. Additionally, the court observed that raids were conducted without independent witnesses, raising questions regarding transparency and due process. Earlier, the Sindh High Court had initially questioned the raid at Digitonics Labs, deeming it Unlawful.
An NGO representative who appeared during proceedings urged the court to allow additional time for further evidence collection, arguing that digital traces could still indicate wrongdoing in the case against Digitonics Lab. However, the court declined the request, stating that continuing proceedings without substantive evidence or complainant support would serve no legal purpose. The judgment further referenced earlier judicial observations from the Sindh High Court in a related matter, reinforcing the principle that individuals cannot remain under prolonged legal uncertainty when prosecution itself is not actively pursuing charges with sufficient evidentiary backing.
Ultimately, the court approved the FIA’s recommendation and dismissed the charges against all accused individuals. Bail bonds were cancelled, and sureties discharged. The court clarified that the closure does not preclude reopening of the case in the future should credible and substantial evidence emerge.
The decision brings closure to one of several high-profile investigations involving Digitonics Labs, a company previously accused by investigators of facilitating online fraud schemes targeting international clients. With this ruling, the court has formally concluded that the evidentiary threshold required for indictment was not met in the present proceedings in the case against Digitonics Lab officials.
