ISLAMABAD  -    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Friday submitted its reply to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a petition moved by PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and opposed his bail in the fake bank accounts case.

The anti-corruption watchdog, in its reply to the high court, stated the reasons for its opposition to bail to Zardari saying that NAB was taking action against Zardari within legal boundaries and investigation was underway against Zardari in accordance with the NAB ordinance.

It was April 10 when the IHC had extended Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur’s interim bails till April 29, and directed the NAB to furnish details of the ongoing and pending inquiries against the PPP leader.

In its reply submitted to the court on Friday, the NAB said that Zardari in connivance with the former prime minister and fellow party leader Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, illegally obtained three luxury bullet-proof cars, two BMWs and one Toyota Lexus from the Toshakhana (the state gift repository), which were gifted by the governments of UAE and Libya.

It further said that Zardari paid Rs37.16 million as duty/tax on the said vehicles through cheques issued from the fake accounts in question.

It added: “All the proceedings were taken in accordance with law and there is absolutely no violation of fundamental rights of petitioner, he had been given complete opportunity vide call up notice to clarify allegations levelled against him.”

“There is no statutory provision provided in the law whereby NAB is bound to inform or notice before arrest hence this petition is liable to be dismissed,” contended the Bureau.

It also stated that the petitioner had misled this court and abused the process of law. “The investigations pertaining to the fake bank accounts scam are being conducted by the NAB on the directions of Supreme Court of Pakistan and not with any predetermined mined. During the proceedings of inquiries/ investigations, whenever any person is found having knowledge, information or any kind of nexus with the case, he is called upon through call-up notice and he is duly informed about his role and connection with the matter. Therefore, the petitioner is not entitled to seek any information about the pending inquiries other than those in which he has been issued call-up notice,” maintained the NAB reply. 

Therefore, the bureau prayed to the court that the petition of Zardari seeking bail may be dismissed in the interest of justice.