BEIRUT: MP Mohammad Qabbani criticized Monday the Court of Accounts' investigation into the red gasoil scandal, saying that three weeks were not enough to arrive at definitive conclusions, and implying that the net of responsibility should have been cast wider.

The Court of Accounts has demanded that companies involved in the red gasoil scandal return the profit illegally accrued from the sale of subsidized heating oil fuel. But Qabbani lashed out at the Court of Accounts, alleging that it had not done enough to find the culprits.

"Did the issue require only three weeks of investigation? And then the Court of Accounts restricts itself to asking the companies [involved in the scandal] to return profits?” Qabbani fumed in an interview with An-Nahar newspaper published Tuesday.

In a swipe at Energy and Water Minister Jibran Bassil, he also asked, “What about the political and administrative responsibility?”

Head of the Court of Accounts Aouni Ramadan, tasked with investigating the scandal, said Monday he had submitted the results of his investigation to the court’s general prosecution office, which recommended that companies involved in the red gasoil scandal return all profit illegally accrued.

In late January, the Court of Accounts, headed by Ramadan, launched a probe into allegations that distribution companies had profited illegally by purchasing Value Added Tax-exempted red gasoil, only to withhold the fuel from consumers during the subsidy period and proceed to sell it at the market price after the subsidy was lifted.

The scandal began days after Cabinet approved a subsidy program of LL3,000 for 20 liters of fuel oil for a period of one month in December of last year.

Ramadan also said that 60 companies resold the red gasoil at the non-subsidy price for profit. Reports said distribution firms illegally reaped an estimated $800,000 in profits in 24 hours.

Last week, four oil refinery employees were charged with illegally profiting from the sale of subsidized heating oil fuel.

Meanwhile, Parliament’s Finance and Budget committee asked the Economy Ministry and the Consumer Protection Department to submit their report on the matter, but Economy Minister Nicholas Nahhas told reporters after the committee meeting that there were numerous parties involved and that his ministry needed more time.