LAHORE  -  A special court (cen­tral) on Monday acquit­ted Suleman Shehbaz and others in Rs16 bil­lion money laundering case, registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Special Court Judge Bakht Fakhr Behzad announced the ver­dict while allowing ac­quittal applications of Suleman Shehbaz and others. Earlier, the FIA submitted replies to 27 questions, asked by the court, during the pro­ceedings. To a court query, the FIA prose­cutor submitted that a joint investigation team, headed by Dr Riz­wan, had conducted an inquiry into the mon­ey-laundering charges.

The court asked whether the FIA re­corded statements of any witnesses during the probe. The investi­gation officer kept si­lence and did not reply.

The court questioned what action had been taken against those who kept changing their stance during the inquiry and investiga­tion. The investigation officer responded that no action had been taken against them. The court asked whether there was any evi­dence in seven volumes of the FIA, submitted in the court earlier, and on what basis or of evidence, a chal­lan was submitted in the court. To a question about former FIA DG Sanaul­lah Abbasi’s absence from the court, the FIA prosecutor replied that a let­ter was written to him, but he did not appear. Suleman’s counsel submitted that former FIA DG Bashir Memon had admitted that he also faced pres­sure for making the case. The FIA prosecutor submitted that there was no direct evidence of money laun­dering against Suleman Shehbaz. The court then questioned wheth­er there was any indirect evidence against the accused. To which, the in­vestigation officer submitted that the action was started in the light of the Sugar Inquiry Commission report. To a court question about action taken against other sugar mills, the investi­gation officer submitted that he was not aware of it, as their cases were not investigated by him. He submitted that the agency checked the details of ac­counts of Suleman Shehbaz but no ev­idence emerged. The court questioned then why the case was made against Suleman Shehbaz. The investigation officer submitted that money was de­posited in the accounts of Suleman and the same was withdrawn in cash. The court expressed anger at the investiga­tion officer over failure to satisfy it, and questioned whether depositing and withdrawing money was a crime. 

Subsequently, the court acquitted all the accused, while allowing their acquittal applications. In November 2020, the FIA had registered a mon­ey-laundering case against Hamza She­hbaz, Suleman Shehbaz, and others. Suelman Shehbaz and other accused had withdrawn their bail petitions af­ter the agency gave clean chit to them in a challan, filed on June 21, 2023.