KARACHI: The administrative judge of the accountability court on Thursday granted five-day transitory remand to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of three senior officers of the Sindh Bank in the fake bank accounts case.

The anti-graft watchdog on Wednesday arrested the private bank’s president Tariq Ahsan, executive vice president Syed Nadeem Altaf and former president Bilal Shaikh, currently serving as director.

On Thursday, the detained bankers were produced before administrative judge Dr Sher Bano Karim.

The investigating officer informed the judge that the suspects were arrested in connection with opening of fake accounts in the Sindh Bank, which was being probed by a joint investigation team and was pending before the accountability court, Islamabad. Therefore, he requested the judge to grant the suspects’ five-day transitory remand for their production before the relevant court.

The judge granted the transitory remand with a directive for the NAB to produce them before the administrative judge of accountability courts in Islamabad by July 15.

Zardari, Faryal have already been detained in fake accounts case

On June 20, the court had granted transitory remand of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan’s registrar Zia-ul-Rasheed Abbasi.

Last month, Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur were arrested by NAB in connection with a probe into 16 cases of alleged fake bank accounts and money laundering.

Mr Zardari’s close aide and business partners Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani Majeed, former chairman of the Pakistan Stock Exchange Hussain Lawai and banker Taha Raza have already been detained in connection with the scam.

Meanwhile, the accountability court of Islamabad approved the transitory remand of MPA Faryal Talpur till July 20, enabling her to attend the Sindh Assembly’s session.

Accountability court judge Mohammad Bashir approved the remand after NAB informed it that the speaker of the Sindh Assembly had issued a production order for her and, therefore, the court may approve her transitory remand.

On July 8, the same court had extended the physical remand of Ms Talpur till July 22.

Initially, NAB filed an application with the court without producing Ms Talpur before the judge.

When the judge inquired about her absence, NAB investigation officer Mohammad Ali Abro requested the court to pass an order in absentia.

The judge declined the request, saying it is necessary for the court to get her consent before passing an order on the application.

Subsequently, NAB produced Ms Talpur before the accountability judge who granted the transitory remand.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2019