The National Accountability Bureau’s Rawalpindi chapter on Wednesday made its first recovery worth Rs 600 million in the fake accounts case from prime suspect Younas Kudwavi, a private TV channel reported.
Director of M/s Parthenon Younus Kudwavi is believed to be a business partner of former president Asif Ali Zardari in Parklane Estates.
The NAB also presented its interim reference before an accountability court, approved earlier by its executive board. Kudwavi is among eight persons nominated in the case and is facing the charge of issuing illegal allotment letter on properties registered for a temple and library.
The corruption watchdog’s prosecutors submitted the reference before an accountability court in Islamabad, pleading that the nominated accused persons be tried in the court for buying properties in Karachi through the said fake accounts. Other suspects nominated in the reference include former administrator of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Mohammad Hussain Syed, former metropolitan commissioners of KMC Matanat Ali Khan and Samiuddin Siddique, Additional Director KDA Wing KMC Syed Khalid Zafar Hashmi, former director KDA Wing KMC Najamuz Zaman, assistant directors of KDA Wing KMC Abdul Rasheed and Abdul Ghani. The report said that Kudwavi has given NAB his written consent to take over a plot valued at Rs 600 million, and has also surrendered the relevant documents.
According to the TV channel, Kudwavi has moved from the UAE following the arrest of Omni Group CFO Arif Khan by Interpol. Kudwavi, who holds Canadian citizenship, had been living in the UAE since the fake accounts case emerged 14 months ago. “But he [Kudwai] moved to the UK three months back and then left for Canada. He has become the epicentre of our investigation now. We are trying to catch him through the Interpol but it has become a herculean task for us. His dual nationality is one of the stumbling blocks in his immediate arrest and repatriation,” said a senior NAB official.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is investing 32 people, including former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed, in relation to money laundering through fictitious bank accounts.