KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Tuesday approached a banking court seeking permission for grilling of four detained bankers and businessmen by a seven-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) during investigation into the allegations of money laundering through fake accounts.

Ex-chairman of the Pakistan Stock Exchange Husain Lawai, Taha Raza, Anvar Majeed and Abdul Ghani Majeed have been detained over their alleged involvement in facilitating opening of around 29 fake bank accounts and Rs4.14 billion laundering. Former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and Zain Malik, son-in-law of real estate tycoon Malik Riaz, along with 14 other bankers and businessmen have also been booked in the same case.

On Tuesday when the matter was fixed before the banking court for submission of a final charge-sheet against the suspects, FIA investigating officer Mohammad Ali Abro moved two applications requesting the court to allow the JIT to interrogate the detained suspects and seeking extension in time for the submission of the final investigation report till the completion of the JIT’s probe.

Notice issued to defence counsel for arguments on FIA’s application tomorrow; interim bail of Zardari, others extended till Dec 10

“The Supreme Court of Pakistan had constituted a Joint Investigation Team, which intends to interrogate these accused persons and confront them on the record available with the JIT,” the IO stated in the application. Therefore, he requested the court to allow the Supreme Court-appointed JIT to interrogate each of the accused persons inside the jail (one suspect a day) between Nov 14 and Nov 17. He also urged the court to issue necessary directives to the prison authorities in this regard.

Headed by FIA’s additional director Ahsan Sadiq, the JIT comprised Brig Shahid Pervez of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), joint director (BID-I) of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Majeed Hussain, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) director Noman Aslam, IR commissioner Imran Lateef Minhas, director of the specialized companies division of the Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Mohammad Afzal and FIA’s assistant director Muhammad Ali Abro.

Opposing the applications, the suspects’ defence counsel including Syed Haider Imam Rizvi, Shaukat Hayat, Barrister Jamshed Malik and Farooq H. Naek argued that the prosecuting agency had already grilled their clients. The counsel contended that since the SC had restrained the trial court from entertaining any application in the present case, therefore, the IO should approach the apex court in this regard.

However, Judge Tariq Mehmood Khoso issued notices to the defence counsel for arguments on both the applications and fixed the matter for hearing on Nov 15.

Interim bail extended

The court also extended interim bail of former president Mr Zardari, Ms Talpur and around 11 others, including Zain Malik, the son-in-law of real estate tycoon Malik Riaz, and three sons of Anvar Majeed, till Dec 10.

The prison officials produced Mr Lawai in court and submitted medical reports of Mr Majeed and Mr Raza. The officials said Mr Majeed was admitted to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) for his cardiac treatment, while Mr Raza was unable to travel after surgery of his knee at a private hospital.

After examining the medical reports, the judge ordered their production on the next date. The court also directed the IO to expedite the process of proclamation of five absconding suspects including a UAE national Nasser Abdulla Hussain Lootah and attachment of their properties under Sections 87 and 88 of the criminal procedure code.

Initially, the FIA detained ex-PSE chief Lawai and Taha Raza in July for allegedly facilitating opening of 29 ‘fake’ bank accounts in three private banks. A case was later registered against all the suspects under Sections 419 (cheating by impersonation), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 5(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2018