The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday arrested Omni Group Chairman Anwar Majeed’s son Nimar Majeed from outside the Supreme Court Karachi registry. According to FIA, Nimar is wanted in 11 FIRs and is accused of hiding away Rs 11 billion worth of sugar taken under guarantee. Earlier while hearing the mega money laundering and fake bank accounts case, the Supreme Court rejected Anwar Majeed’s request for B-class facility in prison and summoned records of the Omni Group from the FIA. Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar in his remarks questioned how someone who stole the public money could be granted B- or C-class facility in prison. The court was told that Rs 11 billion worth of sugar had ‘disappeared’ from the sugar mills owned by the Omni Group, at which the chief justice expressed annoyance and questioned how FIA or the police could allow that to happen. “Who was involved in disappearance of Rs 11 billion worth of sugar out of the country’s total sugar assets of Rs 14 billion,” he asked. FIA director general informed the court that nine sugar mills are being operated by the Omni Group, and that there are nine cases registered against the group over ‘disappearance’ of sugar. Asked which sugar mills were those, the official said those are: Naudero, Bandhi, Khoski, Ansari, Tandowala Yaar, Bawani, New Dadu, Lord, and Chamar sugar mills. The chief justice asked why these mills were not guarded. Upon being told that Anwar Majeed could be involved in the disappearance of sugar, the chief justice asked the FIA to interrogate the chairman in prison. He then summoned Omni Group’s chief executive and other officials and vowed to look into the matter himself. During the hearing, the chief justice also expressed reservations at the use of mobile phones by the Omni Group personnel in prison. All those using phones in prison could be instructing others to do their work, the chief justice said, directing that their phones should be taken away. The court also summoned the group’s records from the FIA on October 30, and adjourned the hearing upon the lawyer’s request. The FIA is investigating 32 people, including former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, in relation to alleged money laundering from fictitious accounts. Published in Daily Times, October 28th 2018.