ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday granted pre-arrest interim bail to a suspect in the fake accounts case.

Abu Bakar Zardari was the legal adviser to former president Asif Ali Zardari. The court granted him bail against Rs500,000 surety bonds.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) summoned Bakar Zardari on Tuesday in connection with an investigation of the bulletproof vehicles case.

According to the National Accountability Bureau, the suspect was involved in import of 11 armoured vehicles and payment for the duties and taxes was made through fake accounts.

Abu Bakar was legal adviser to Asif Zardari

In the petition, Bakar Zardari stated that he was neither the dealer nor the owner of the showroom. He said that he was a lawyer by profession and NAB had dragged him in the fake accounts case with mala fide intentions.

Meanwhile, an IHC bench — comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani — issued notices to NAB on the post-arrest bail petitions of Hussain Lawai and Taha Raza. Both accused persons had been detained in Malir jail of Karachi in the fake accounts case.

The IHC sought reply from the interior ministry in two weeks on the petition filed by Shahzad Ali seeking removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL).

Mr Ali is also on interim bail in the fake accounts case till April 30.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2019