The National Accountability Bureau on Monday filed eight references in the fake bank accounts case in the NAB court.
According to the NAB, reference was lodged against alleged embezzlement in the Sindh Bank funds of worth billions. More than 20 accused including Bilal Shaikh, Tariq Ahsan and others have been named in the reference, over accusations of awarding loan of worth Rs.29 billion to Omni Group.
According to the reference Rs.25 bn out of 29bn still have to be repaid. Loan of Rs. 1.184bn was granted to Omni Group via fake companies.
The anti-graft watchdog is conducting investigations in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the fake accounts case wherein it forwarded the joint investigation team (JIT) report with directions to investigate and file references.
Former president Asif Ali Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, his aunt Faryal Talpur, former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, provincial minister Anwar Siyal and real estate tycoon Malik Riaz are among as many as 172 accused in the fake accounts case.
The former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur are currently in the jail on judicial remand, while PPP stalwart’s close aides Hussain Lawai and Anwar Majeed are also in judicial custody.
Meanwhile, a bench of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday extended interim bail of former chief minister of Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah in Roshan Sindh NAB inquiry.
A two-member bench of the Islamabad high court (IHC), comprised of Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Kayani heard the case.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor Barrister Rizwan informed the court that the bureau didn’t file FIR against Qaim Ali Shah. He said the NAB not required arrest of the former chief minister of Sindh and only an inquiry has been initiated against him.
“NAB should inform (the court), if it requires arrest,” Justice Aamir Farooq remarked in a lighter vein.
In earlier hearing the division bench of the high court (IHC) had approved pre-arrest bail petition of Syed Qaim Ali Shah till December 09.
Former chief minister’s counsel Qasim Nawaz Abbasi pleaded to the court that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned his client in solar panels contract case.
The lawyer said that his client had only approved summary of the Roshan Sindh project and didn’t commit any irregularity. “He apprehends his arrest during the hearing before the NAB,” the counsel said while pleading for interim bail to Shah.
NAB is holding an inquiry into complaints of massive corruption in Roshan Sindh project initiated by the provincial government for installation of solar streetlights across the province.
Separately, former principal secretary to Prime Minister, Fawad Hassan Fawad has filed a petition in Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday seeking his release on bail in assets case.
Fawad has pleaded to the court in a petition that he was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in assets beyond means reference but it failed to present any evidence in support of its allegations against him.
He pleaded that the charges levelled against him about owning a plaza have nothing to do with him. “I have no personal home except the government residence,” he said.
“I am imprisoned in jail for last one-and-half year without any crime,” he said.
“My health has deteriorated and medical treatment is not possible in jail,” he pleaded and sought the court order for his release on bail from the case.
The former principal secretary to Prime Minister was granted bail by the Lahore High Court on February 15 along with former chief minister Shehbaz Sharif in the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme case.
The NAB in an early December hearing of the Supreme Court not pressed over appeal against the Feb 14 LHC order to release Shehbaz Sharif and Fawad Hassan Fawad in the housing scheme scam.
Meanwhile, an accountability court on Monday extended the judicial remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member of National Assembly (MNA) Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique till December 23 in the Paragon Housing Society reference.
Presiding judge Jawadul Hassan also allowed former railways minister Saad Rafique to attend the National Assembly’s session in Islamabad.
“I want to say something in the court,” Rafique pleaded in the courtroom, adding: “Trial in the open court is the basic right of every person, everyone can hear the [proceedings] of the case.”
“In my case, court reporters are not being allowed to enter the courtroom, and facts are being hidden from the general public” Rafique told the court.
“Police [in every hearing] prevent lawyers, reporters and visitors from entering in the courtroom.”
To this, the judge directed the police to not resist lawyers and reporters from entering in the courtroom during hearings.
“If you can’t provide security, then I will call rangers [for it],” the judge remarked.
Strict security arrangements were taken to avoid any untoward incident.
Earlier, accountability court had rejected Khawaja brothers’ acquittal pleas and extended their judicial remand till October 30 in Paragon Housing Society reference.
In October, the court had rejected Khawaja brothers’ acquittal pleas and extended their judicial remand in the same case.
NAB prosecutor Hafiz Asadullah Awan had opposed the acquittal applications and argued that there were rulings by the Supreme Court that the trial court could not entertain such appeals after the indictment. He said NAB powers were protected under Section 18(C) and D of the NAO 1999.
The NAB had arrested the Khawaja brothers on Dec 11, 2018 after the Lahore High Court had denied them further pre-arrest bail they enjoyed for almost three months.
They remained in the bureau’s custody till Feb 2 when the trial court sent them to jail on judicial remand. Their bail petitions had been dismissed by the Lahore High Court.
On April 26, the NAB Lahore had approved filing of a reference against the Khawaja brothers and Nadeem Zia for the alleged corruption.
Qaiser Amin Butt, the director of Paragon Housing Society, was also included in the inquiry initiated by the NAB, and he was also arrested in November last year. Later, he agreed to turn approver against the Khawaja brothers and Zia.
Butt and Zia established a company “Air Avenue” in the year 2003; however the name was later changed to Paragon City private (Pvt) Limited.
The NAB had launched an investigation into the alleged scam in November last year after a number of victims staged protests and held a press conference at the Lahore Press Club against what they termed the housing society’s fraud.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) also launched an inquiry against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Javed Latif over alleged misuse of power on Monday.
According to the details, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) senior leader stands accused of making billions of rupees’ assets in the name of his family members under section 9 (a) of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO 1999).
In this regard, the record from concerned departments including, Revenue, LDA, DCs and Banks have bas been sought, sources said.
The assets of MNA Javed Latif rapidly increased after coming into politics, the sources within NAB said and added that Javed Latif, before coming into politics owned a 12-marla inherited house in Habib Colony, Sheikhupura, which has now had been extended up to 1.5 acres.
Earlier this year, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart’s relatives who owned properties worth 120 million in Sheikhupura were seized by the Anti-Corruption Unit.
Member National Assembly Javed Latif’s relatives who owned 30 canal and 16 marla’s in Sheikhupura were revealed as the owners of the property.
The anti-corruption unit had handed over the seized land to the Punjab Co-operative Board for Liquidation (PCBL).
