The first National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference in the fake bank accounts and mega money laundering case will be heard by an accountability court this month, it has been announced.
Judge Muhammad Bashir has issued summons to a number of suspects, including former Karachi administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed, and directed them to appear on April 19.
The list of suspects summoned to the hearing also includes Asif Ali Zardari’s close adviser Younas Kudwavi, as well as four former and four current employees of the Karachi– Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).
On April 2, the NAB executive board approved the first reference pertaining to the fake bank accounts and mega money laundering case
The suspects are accused of the illegal use of land set aside for welfare use.
On Tuesday, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) executive board granted approval for filing of the first reference pertaining to the fake bank accounts and mega money laundering case.
Headed by NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, the executive board meeting granted approval for the filing of six corruption references, including one pertaining to the fake bank account case.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was investigating 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.
In July last year, Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested, in connection with the probe.
The former president’s other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son, Abdul Ghani, were arrested by FIA in August 2018.
In September 2018, the apex court took notice and constituted a joint investigation team to probe the matter.
The JIT had filed its report and also recommended a directive for NAB to conduct a thorough inquiry.
In January 2019, the Supreme Court referred the JIT report to NAB, directing the latter to launch its probe and complete it within two months.
On March 15, a banking court in Karachi approved the NAB chairman’s petition and transferred the money laundering case to an accountability court in Islamabad for trial.