NAB finalises reference against Zardari, Talpur

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has prepared a supplementary reference against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur in a case pertaining to money laundering, reported a local media outlet on Sunday.

According to reports, the reference was prepared in the light of an investigation by the NAB officials, and the accused will be indicted by a court once the reference is filed.

The statements of Zardari and Talpur and important evidence have also been made part of the reference, said reports.

Former president and co-chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur were taken into custody by the accountability watchdog last month.

The accountability court had sent Asif Ali Zardari to Adiala jail on judicial remand till August 19 in the fake bank accounts case.

THE MONEY LAUNDERING CASE:

On December 24, the JIT, formed on the apex court’s orders to probe into the alleged money-laundering case, presented its 128-page final report to the court which included recommendations for filing 16 NAB references.

The report had mentioned that 29 fake accounts were identified by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) which had laundered Rs42 billion, however, the team further discovered 11,500 bank accounts of 924 account holders, 59 Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) and 24,500 Cash Transactions Reports (CTRs). All of these details were scrutinised, besides the loan profile of 924 individuals.

The report further stated that the fake accounts were opened through the Omni Group, however, the accounts had been engaged with direct transactions with the Zardari Group, Bahria Town, Sindh government departments and certain contractors while the ultimate beneficiary of money laundering was Zardari’s family. Later, the court had ordered Zardari to submit his reply by December 31, however, during the previous hearing, extended his and his sister s interim bail till January 7.

On September 6, the SC had formed a JIT to probe into alleged mega money laundering of Rs42 billion channelled through fake bank accounts in three banks. Besides the Zardari family, several prominent individuals including former Summit Bank president Hussain Lawai and Omni Group president Anwar Majeed, have been accused in the case.