ISLAMABAD: Directors of the Omni group on Thursday filed applications in the accountability court seeking acquittal in the fake bank account case as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) sought time to respond to these pleas.

Judge Mohammad Arshad Malik resumed proceedings in the case which was transferred from a banking court in Karachi to the accountability court of Islamabad on the orders of the Supreme Court.

NAB produced former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur along with other accused before the court.

Omni Group’s directors filed the applications seeking acquittal under section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The judge remarked that it was too early to seek acquittal. Their counsel on the other hand argued that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the order issued on the pre-arrest bail petitions observed that there was no nexus of the accused with the case.

When the judge inquired from NAB, the prosecutor sought time from the court to file a reply to the acquittal applications.

During the proceedings, under-custody Abdul Ghani Majeed requested the court to order NAB to provide him proper medical facilities. The judge replied that why shouldn’t he ask NAB to shift their office to a hospital.

He said that every other accused suffered from multiple diseases after he was taken into custody.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari approached the rostrum and said that he was not among those cowards, adding: “I remained behind bars in solitary confinement for 13 long years and was never afraid of imprisonment.”

He requested the court to direct NAB to remove handcuffs from the aged accused, saying that they were well educated people and never indulged in any anti-state activities.

The judge adjourned further proceedings of the case till July 8.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2019