— Zardari holds private meeting with Anwar Majeed’s son in court premises
— SC orders JIT to submit final report in money laundering probe on Dec 19
ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: A banking court on Monday extended the interim bail of former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur in the mega money laundering case.
The brother-sister duo appeared before the court as the interim bail granted to them in the case expired. Omni Group Chairman Anwar Majeed’s sons Abdul Ghani Majeed and Nimr Majeed also appeared before the court.
The investigation officer informed the court regarding the progress made in the case so far and Zardari and Faryal’s counsel requested an extension in the interim bail.
After accepting the request, the court extended their bail till December 21.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman also met Abdul Ghani Majeed in private as no one but the security guards were allowed to approach them.
SC GIVES DEADLINE TO JIT:
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court (SC) has given the joint investigation team (JIT) probing the case till December 19 to submit its conclusive report.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Faisal Arbab will consider the final JIT report on December 24.
The case was initially registered in 2015 against former Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE) chairman Hussain Lawai, who is widely believed to be close to former president Zardari. In July, Lawai was arrested in connection with the probe along with the Omni Group chairman and his son, Abdul Ghani Majeed, by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Lawai, Majeed and his son remain under custody for interrogation.
Investigations so far have revealed that several ‘benami’ accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made.
The amount, according to the FIA, is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.
