ISLAMABAD     -   National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has recovered over 2300 kanals of residential and industrial land situated in different areas of Karachi worth billions of rupees from seven accused in the fake accounts case, The Nation has learnt.

Chairman (NAB) Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal has approved the plea bargain request of these accused in the ongoing investigation of the fake accounts scam.

Well-placed sources said, the NAB is planning to recommend their names to Interior Ministry to place on the Exit Control List (ECL) for further investigation in other cases related to fake accounts case. They said that all recovered industrial and residential land of Sindh government and Pakistan Steel Mills is located in different areas of Karachi.

According to the documents available with The Nation, the Chairman NAB approved the plea bargain request of seven accused including Muahmmad Shahid against 272 kanals of residential land situated at Deh Joreji, Bin Qasim, Milar, Karachi land worth Rs 497 million, Abdul Ghani against 304 kanals of industrial land situated at Deh Bakran Bin Qasim, Milar, Karachi, worth Rs 2.090 billion, Tariq Baig against 304 kanals  of residential land situated at Deh Joreji, Bin Qasim, Milar, Karachi, worth Rs 491 million, Muhammad Iqbal against 256 kanals of residential land situated at Deh Joreji, Bin Qasin, Milar, Karachi, worth Rs 476 million, Muhammad Tausif Edhi against 296 kanals industrial land situated at Dera Barkin, Bin Qasim, Milar Karachi worth Rs 2.090 billion, Muhammad  Ammir against 320 kanals of industrial land situated at Dera Barkin, Bin Qasim, Milar Karachi worth Rs 2.230 billion and Siraj Shahid against 400 kanals of industrial land at Dera Barkin, Bin Qasim, Milar Karachi worth Rs 2.787 billion.

The NAB Rawalpindi had also claimed that it has recovered Rs13 billion, arrested 39 accused persons, placed names of 41 accused on Exit Control List, filed six corruption references and authorised 21 inquiries and 12 investigations in fake bank accounts scam. It also filed six corruption references in the respected Accountability Courts Islamabad against ex-president Asif Ali Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Abdul Ghani Majeed, Younus Kadwai, Hussain Lawai and others which are under trial as per law.

The Supreme Court referred the fake bank accounts cases to NAB for further investigation in January 2019.