The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday arrested Anwar Majeed, former president Asif Ali Zardari’s close aide and head of the Omni Group, from outside the Supreme Court. Abdul Ghani Majeed was also arrested after the Omni Group head and his four sons appeared before the top court in connection with a case pertaining to alleged money laundering through fake bank accounts. During the hearing, the bench dismissed the petition of Omni Group counsel Shahid Hamid seeking pre-arrest bail for his clients. As the hearing resumed, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar remarked, ” If the FIA wishes, the Majeed family can be taken into custody.” The Omni Group counsel informed the court that the names of Majeed and Ghani were already on the exit control list (ECL). To this, the chief justice questioned who placed their names on the ECL. The DG FIA responded that court orders state that they be barred from travelling abroad. Majeed’s counsel then contended that he be given time to present his arguments in the case. However, the chief justice remarked, “We will form a joint investigation team and if anyone wants to argue, he can appear before it.” Justice Nisar also rejected Majeed’s plea to unfreeze his bank accounts. Directing the Majeed family to appear before the FIA, the chief justice observed, “Like Zardari and Faryal Talpur, Majeed family should also be included in the investigations of fake bank accounts.” The hearing was then adjourned. On Monday, the chief justice suggested formation of a joint investigation team like the one formed for Panama Papers to probe the case of alleged fake bank accounts. During an earlier hearing, the DG FIA had informed the court that officials had found 15 more accounts of A-One International, from which Rs 6 billion had been transacted. He said that an account was opened in the name of a person, who worked as a graphics designer with a private TV channel, and Rs 800 million were transacted from that account. Another fake account was opened in the name of a Lahore woman, from which Rs 1.5 billion were remitted. Published in Daily Times, August 16th 2018.