RAWALPINDI: A joint investigation team (JIT) will interrogate former Stock Exchange chairman Hussain Lawai and Omni group official Abdul Ghani Majeed at Adiala jail, following the shifting of a suspect in a money laundering case from Karachi to Adiala Tuesday night.

According to sources Mr Majeed, one of the suspects in the ‘fake’ bank accounts case who was taken to Karachi from Adiala jail on Dec 5 to be produced in court, was brought back to Rawalpindi on a scheduled Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight.

The JIT led by a senior Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) official will travel to Islamabad from Karachi to interrogate suspects being held at Adiala jail.

Mr Lawai and Mr Majeed were brought to Adiala on Nov 29 on orders from the Supreme Court. They were previously being held in Karachi.

Mr Majeed and his father, Omni group chairman Anwar Majeed, were arrested and booked by the FIA in August.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar had ordered the authorities to produce the younger Mr Majeed before the court at the next hearing. He said because the suspects being investigated in the fake accounts case are influential and powerful figures who could influence the investigation, they should be transferred to Adiala so an independent inquiry can be carried out. A JIT led by Ahsan Sadiq has been formed.

Sources said Mr Lawai and Mr Majeed were given high class jail facilities.

The FIA has been investigating several people in the case, including former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur.

According to reports, Mr Zardari told the JIT he had not been involved in any business activities since assuming the office of president.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2018