KARACHI - Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar yesterday said he will make sure that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing fake bank accounts receives all the required documents from the Sindh government.
A three-member bench led by the CJP heard the case of alleged illegal transfer of over Rs50 billion through hundreds of fake accounts, on Friday at the SC Karachi registry.
Seven individuals, including PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, are accused of using those accounts for money laundering. The accounts were allegedly used to channel funds received through kickbacks.
At the start of the hearing the top judge expressed annoyance at Sindh government’s reported non-cooperation with the JIT.
Justice Saqib said he will not spare anyone involved in the scam and directed Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to appear in the chamber at 1:30pm.
But Sindh Advocate General Salman Talibuddin informed him the CM was out of city.
“Where is the Sindh chief secretary; there are reports of non-cooperation,” remarked Justice Nisar.
Appearing before the bench, the chief secretary said, “We have given all the records.”
JIT head Ahsan Sadiq confirmed the development, saying that the required documents were provided to them only after court’s intervention. “We have received the documents but need to conduct their scrutiny,” he held.
However, the chief justice appeared discontented and directed the government reps to tell the chief minister to meet him in his chamber tomorrow [Saturday]. “I am in Karachi until [the JIT] does not receive each and every record,” he remarked.
But soon after that he appeared softened as he acknowledged that “all secretaries have assured their complete cooperation. This cooperation should continue.”
Granting complete freedom to the investigation team to probe the case, the chief justice directed the advocate general to ensure cooperation by the Sindh government.
The CJP made it clear that “strict action will be taken against those who do not follow court orders”. He also said that the apex court will fix another hearing in Karachi if any problem arises.
An FIA JIT had been investigating a 2015 case regarding fake accounts and fictitious transactions conducted through ‘benami’ accounts in Summit Bank, Sindh Bank and UBL.
While hearing a suo motu case regarding a delay in the FIA probe into the case, the SC had constituted a JIT to probe into the matter.
During the investigation it was revealed that Omni Group used dozens of fake companies and hundreds of individual bank accounts to make suspicious transactions.
In his briefing to the apex court, the JIT head revealed that Omni Group owed Rs73 billion in loans – Rs23 billion to National Bank of Pakistan and the remaining Rs50 billion to Sindh Bank, Summit Bank and Silk Bank.
The JIT head informed the bench that the quantum of alleged illegal transactions has increased from the previous Rs35 billion. He said that hundreds of fake accounts have been identified through which the amounts were transferred.
From among those being investigated by the FIA, Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur were granted protective bail by a lower court.
But Omni Group’s Anwar Majeed, former Pakistan Stock Exchange chairman Hussain Lawai and Summit Bank Senior Vice-President Taha Raza are currently in police custody.
Detained banker Taha Raza on Friday told the court that he has fractured his leg and needs treatment. The court granted his request and ordered for him to be transferred to a hospital.
