Daily Times

A local court in Karachi on Saturday extended the physical remand of Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son, Abdul Ghani Majeed, who were arrested in connection to a money laundering case.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) presented Abdul Ghani Majeed before the additional district and sessions judge, south. As the hearing went underway, the counsel for Majeed said: “A medical examination should be conducted of my client as he faces the risk of brain hemorrhage.” He further requested the court to send Anwar on a judicial remand instead of a physical one.

However, the FIA prosecutor argued that further questioning was required and ergo, the physical remands should be extended. The court accepted the FIA’s request and extended Anwar and Abdul Ghani’s physical remand till August 27.

The court also ordered that a medical examination be conducted of Abdul Ghani and the report be submitted.

Anwar, a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari, and his son were arrested on August 15 in connection to a case pertaining to money laundering through fake bank accounts.

The FIA is investigating 32 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur. Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested last month in connection with the probe.

More than 20 ‘benami’ accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to sources.

Published in Daily Times, August 26^th 2018.