Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Faryal Talpur and Omni Group President Anwar Majeed on Wednesday submitted review petitions in the Supreme Court (SC) in fake bank accounts case.
The petitions stated that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has failed to present evidence to prove the allegations, therefore the case cannot be sent to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Anwar Majeed pleaded that the decision to hold investigation into fake accounts case in Islamabad be reconsidered. “All allegations are connected with Karachi and all witnesses live there as well. The order for NAB to file the reference in Islamabad is illegal,” the petition said. “The case is related to the FIA and not NAB. The FIA was not able to present a challan in the banking court and thus the case is being illegally stalled on purpose,” the petitioner said while adding that the FIA should be ordered to quickly file a challan in the case. “The joint investigation team (JIT) has already presented its report and further investigations in the case will affect the petitioner’s right to a fair trial,” the petition said, claiming that the JIT report was based on speculation and that “it has been assumed that all the money in the accounts has been accumulated through crimes”. Earlier this week, PPP Co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur had filed a plea in the apex court urging it to withdraw decision of sending fake bank accounts case to the anti-graft watchdog.
In a fresh petition filed on Wednesday, Talpur called for a review of the January 7 SC order in the case. She submitted the application through her lawyer Farooq H Naiq. The petition also questions the court’s suo motu powers and asked “does the court have suo motu powers in this case.” Last week, the NAB formed a combined investigation team (CIT) to probe alleged fake bank accounts and money laundering suspicions against PPP top leadership, bankers and players in the real estate business. Earlier on December 24, the joint investigation team (JIT), formed on the apex court’s orders to probe into the alleged money laundering, had presented its 128-page final report to the court which included recommendations for filing 16 NAB references. The report stated that the fake accounts were opened through the Omni Group, however the accounts had been engaged with direct transactions with the Zardari Group, Bahria Town, Sindh government departments and certain contractors while the ultimate beneficiary of money laundering was Zardari’s family.
Published in Daily Times, January 31st 2019.
