Daily Times

A special district court in Lahore acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s son Suleman Sharif and others accused in the Rs16 billion money laundering case on Monday, a private TV channel reported.

The court was hearing acquittal pleas filed by Suleman and other accused in the case. Earlier, the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) submitted replies to 27 questions asked by the court but failed to satisfy the court. Judge Bakht Fakhr Behzad asked who conducted the money laundering inquiry and was informed by the FIA’s lawyer that a joint investigation team (JIT) led by Dr Rizwan had carried it out.

The court then asked whether the FIA had recorded any written statement by any witness during the probe. At this, the FIA’s investigation officer (IO) Ali Mardan remained silent. Moving on to the next question, the court asked what action was taken against those who kept changing their stance during the investigation. The IO replied that no action was taken.

Irked, the judge inquired whether there was any evidence in the seventh volume of the FIA. What was the evidence based on which the challan was filed, he asked, warning FIA officials of sending them to prison.

On inquiring about former FIA DG Sanaullah Abbasi’s absence from the hearing, the court was informed that the federal agency had written to Abbasi but he did not appear.

There was no direct evidence against Suleman regarding money laundering, added the FIA lawyer. The court asked whether there was any indirect evidence against Suleman. At this, the IO said that the inquiry was opened in light of the sugar inquiry commission’s report. The FIA went through Suleman’s bank accounts during the probe but did not find incriminating evidence against him, he added. This led the court to question why a case was registered against Suleman then. The IO replied that money would be deposited in Suleman’s account and then withdrawn in cash. Expressing anger at the FIA’s proceedings and failure to satisfy the court, the judge wondered about the information given to, and subsequent press conferences by, Shehzad Akbar. The court accepted the pleas submitted by the accused and acquitted Suleman and others from the case.