KARACHI, Jan 9: A district and sessions judge directed the Federal Investigation Agency on Friday to submit a final charge-sheet till Jan 24 against three suspects allegedly involved in a money laundering case.
Also on Friday, the court partly heard arguments on the suspects’ bail applications and adjourned the matter till Jan 17.
The FIA had arrested Abdul Munaf Kalia, his brother, Hanif Kalia, and Javed Khanani on charges of illegally transferring billions of dollars abroad. Later, they were remanded in judicial custody.
The court had directed the investigation officer of the case to submit the final charge-sheet on Jan 9. However, on Friday, the IO appeared in court when the case came up for hearing and sought more time.
However, the suspects’ counsel, Farrukh Naseem and Shaukat Hayat, opposed the plea stating that the FIA was deliberately delaying the matter by using different tactics. The court directed the FIA to submit the final charge-sheet till Jan 24.
Arguing on the bail applications, the counsel submitted before the District and Sessions Judge (south), Faheem Ahmed Siddiqui, that the FIA had not produced any evidence against their clients except the FIR and an interim charge-sheet.
They said that three different offences were shown in the FIR but the interim charge-sheet submitted in all the offences was the same.
They said that the State Bank of Pakistan did not send a specific complaint against Khanani and Kalia money changers and it was a general complaint against some elements who were allegedly involved in the money laundering.
The counsel submitted that the SBP had issued a licence to his clients and the bank also monitored all activities of their firms.
They contended that the firm did not create any unlawful website and the FIA had implicated their clients in the case with mala fide intentions without producing any solid evidence in court.
The court adjourned hearing on the bail applications till Jan 17 due to lack of time. The applicants’ counsel would record their remaining arguments on the next hearing.
The judge also disposed of an application against the unlawful shifting of the suspects to Lahore as the jail authorities informed the court that no such move was made and all suspects were in their custody.
Earlier, the suspects’ counsels had moved an application stating that their clients were being shifted to Lahore without the permission of the court.
Gulgee case
The same court adjourned the hearing of a triple murder case of renowned artist Ismail Gulgee, his wife, Zareen Gulgee, and their maidservant till Jan 17 due to the absence of the defence counsel.
They were strangled to death in their house situated in Boat Basin police limits on December 19, 2007.
Gulgee’s driver, Akram Ali, and servant, Anwar, are facing trial in the triple murder case.