Daily Times

Chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday hinted at having Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed’s son Nimr arrested once again, as a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar resumed hearing a case against fake bank accounts that were used to launder over Rs100 billion out of the country.

Additional Attorney General Nayyar Rizvi informed the court that the joint investigation team (JIT) tasked to probe the alleged money laundering had submitted a progress report on Omni Group’s bank accounts. The director general of the Federal Investigation Agency told the court that the JIT was continuing its probe into the matter. Expressing his satisfaction over the JIT’s progress, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar remarked that he realised the JIT’s task was not easy but at the same time, the court could not adjourn the case hearing for an indefinite time. The head of the JIT asked the court for a month to submit its final report in the investigation. In his remarks, the chief justice observed that the securities loaned out to different banks were no longer present in the banks. At the same time, he hinted that Nimr Majeed, the son of Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed, be arrested and included in the investigation. Where did Omni Group’s securities disappear, the top judge asked Nimr. To this, Nimr replied that he was not aware of the matter, as he looked after the sugar mills only. “Take Nimr [Majeed] into custody, and transfer Anwar Majeed to Adiala Jail, he [Anwar Majeed] is dictating all of Sindh via his phone,” Justice Nisar suggested.

Nimr Majeed was arrested by the FIA last month, but was released a day later on the court’s orders. The top judge remarked that the court would summon representatives from the concerned banks to understand the situation better. “We will end the case if the public’s money is returned to them,” Justice Nisar observed. The court also issued notice to the Sindh Police inspector general in the case.

Published in Daily Times, November 13^th 2018.