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The Omni Group allegedly withdrew funds from bank accounts that were supposed to have been frozen under court orders, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the Supreme Court on Friday through a report.
The Supreme Court, on the FIA's request, had earlier ordered the freezing of 41 bank accounts operated by six companies owned by the Omni Group, whose chairman, Anwar Majeed — along with former president Asif Ali Zardari and others — is being investigated over allegations of money laundering.
The FIA reported to the court today that, despite its orders, 10 of the 41 accounts were not frozen right away, due to which millions of rupees worth of transactions were conducted from those accounts.
Read: SC forms JIT to probe 'mega corruption' fake accounts case against Zardari and acquaintances
The said accounts, according to the agency, were all held by the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), which had issued instructions to its staff to "debit block" the accounts.
However, owing to the negligence of a staffer, the FIA said, the accounts were frozen after some delay, and that allowed some transactions to take place.
The staffer, an Assistant Vice President named Afzal Sadiq, has since been suspended, the agency told the court.
Pak Ethanol, Tando Allayar Sugar Mills, Omni Polymer Packages, Omni Pvt Ltd, Chambar Sugar Mills and Ansari Sugar Mills are the six companies whom the 10 bank accounts belong to.
Fake bank accounts case
Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, along with Omni Group Chairman Anwar Majeed and other business aides, face allegations that they illegally channeled funds through fake bank accounts and laundered them in connivance with the CEOs of major banks.
The case was initially registered in 2015 against former Pakistan Stock Exchange chairman Hussain Lawai, who is widely believed to be close to former president Zardari.
Lawai is in judicial custody, which the FIA has been given physical remand of Anwar Majeed and several others.
Zardari and siblings are out after securing pre-arrest bail. They have reportedly been handed questionnaires seeking their responses to the allegations levelled against them.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (38) Closed
Sep 07, 2018 02:56pm
Investigate the staffer, why he has not taken immediate action, as such orders usually create panic in organizations and prompt action is taken in lazziest of organizations just to comply with SC orders. Here, its important to note the delay time period and also where were the transacted amount went?
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Sep 07, 2018 03:07pm
Could the banks disobeying the court's orders be punished and asked to replenish the amounts taken out of the seized accounts after the orders were given in the courts? The corrupt still holds the key to make things work the way he wants.
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Sep 07, 2018 03:17pm
SC will not get support in any case in Sindh. Samples of blood n liquor were tampered earlier. Subjails are turned to presidential suites, murders are aquited as in case if shahrukh jatoi. And now funds transferred from frozen accounts... Soon these accounts will be let with balances in hundreds instead of millions n billions.
It's better to transfer cases to Punjab.
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Sep 07, 2018 03:17pm
What action has been taken against these banks so far ?
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Sep 07, 2018 03:25pm
For assisting laundering from frozen account plus contempt of court, Bank branch managers of these accounts must be charged atleast half of transaction amount alongside permanent dismissal from service
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Sep 07, 2018 03:28pm
How is it possible? Delayed justice will tantamount to further withdrawl of money from these bank accounts. Concerned agencies must act quickly now.
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Sep 07, 2018 03:31pm
These crooks are working with impunity defying court orders, withdrawing funds from accounts frozen under court orders!
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Sep 07, 2018 03:45pm
So many dishonest people in Pakistan. The staffer concerned should be made to pay back every penny.
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Sep 07, 2018 03:49pm
Bravo!!!
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Sep 07, 2018 03:50pm
Assistant Vice President named Afzal Sadiq, should be put on ECL . Furthermore, his lifestyle, bank accounts, and overseas trips should be investigated.Let's face it. He deliberately not carry out the court orders. A suspension is a joke. This guy should go to jail. The chances, however, are that nothing will happen and that he has already left the country.
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Sep 07, 2018 04:09pm
The staff who was suspended should make good the wirhdrals as punishment to give lesson to other staff and banks otherwise such things will continue unabated.
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Sep 07, 2018 04:30pm
Unacceptable mistake of banks, probably under the political pressure of PPP. Govt. must recover the debit money from the Omni group. Zardari & Co. need to be handle more strictly.
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Sep 07, 2018 04:37pm
Height of corruption.
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Sep 07, 2018 04:38pm
seems like all the state institutions have failed against these political terrorists and corrupts
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Sep 07, 2018 05:05pm
Full quick investigation needed to include people involved put on ECL. Pakistan is in deep economic crisis put by PML-N and NAwaz Shrief.
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Sep 07, 2018 05:07pm
When the government needs to freeze accounts, freeze them. Law enforcement is in slow motion. No one is afraid to break Pakistan's laws because nothing happens to them. Nawaz Sharif's incarceration is a rare occurrence. Everyone is above the law. Few respect the laws. The government is a grab bag for the rich.
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Sep 07, 2018 05:11pm
Officers of The National Bank of Pakistan were in collusion with the accused money launderers. You can draw no other logical conclusion. None of this happened in error.
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Sep 07, 2018 05:30pm
Anwar Majeed should be imprisoned if he is guilty. Whoever received orders to transfer money knows who gave those orders.
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Sep 07, 2018 05:32pm
FIA must obtain written confirmation from banks
about accounts freezes.
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Sep 07, 2018 06:10pm
This Anwar Majid and His Family who are very close to Zardari and Bhuttos have become billionaires through decades of corruption and money laundering for Zardari and in collusion with banks. They should be compelled to return the stolen money to Govt of Pakistan and their assets should be confiscated.
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Sep 07, 2018 06:41pm
The staffer along with the president of the bank at that time must b taken to task. The staffer Afzal Sadiq may have done all this for a bribe of petty amount or for small gift. Investigate the matter.
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Sep 07, 2018 06:55pm
The suspended staffer does not need this rubbish bank job any way. He has received millions, as commission, sent directly to a UK bank or the like which facilitate money laundering.
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Sep 07, 2018 07:08pm
There is only one solution to all this crisis and fraud, arrest the main person and put him in jail , everything will melt down and all associates and subordinates will surrender mostly becoming approver.There will be no Sindh card as we all have judged their 10 years rule of corruption.
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Sep 07, 2018 07:09pm
Let us get to the bottom of it. Why a court's order was not obeyed? If the Courts cannot get its orders carried out what hope is left for developing independent institutions?
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Sep 07, 2018 07:42pm
Staffer should be charged and asked to credit the accounts with the amount withdrawn from those accounts.
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Sep 07, 2018 07:51pm
@SHAHID SATTAR very well said. Non compliance of country’s highest court’s order is a cognizable offense & those involved from top to bottom needs to be taken to task. Transacted money drawn must be traced and in case it is not, recovered from conniving parties. We need to embark upon a mass awareness program to educate our masses of their rights under constitution and through this bring institutional reforms in our lethargic and inefficient public and semi public departments. Trust me there is no other antidote to much trumpeted institutional reform program launched by PTI. These institution from top to bottom are occupied by forces of status quo and are sustaining from the day one this country was created, only changing faces when the old ones fading in obscurity & new ones taking its place. This merry go around of each new government coming with slogan of change & followed by business as usual must end. The people of this country want real change & PTI must not shatter their hopes.
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Sep 07, 2018 08:29pm
1. Hold bankes accountable and punish them.
2. where did the money go and into whose account?
3. Who signed the cheques or authorization to transfer money.
This is no staffer excuse. It is a scheme but traceable.
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Sep 07, 2018 09:21pm
All Bank employees involved in the withdraw should be jailed and money should be recovered from them. Bank employee most likely taken kick back from the withdrawls. I am a former MCB Bank officer. I strongly believe bank employees are involved and they must be punished to teach others a lesson.
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Sep 07, 2018 09:39pm
But who withdrew or transferred the money?
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Sep 07, 2018 10:48pm
When the SC gives an order and it is willfully disobeyed and the SC then ' makes noises ' instead of taking ' swift visible action ' ...... its simply distressing to watch this blatant disrespect of the law.
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Sep 07, 2018 11:34pm
While rest of the nation is all set to move to new Pakistan, in the interest of history the purana Pakistan is being preserved in Sindh. However, this is only for the next 5 years after which the plan is to include it in the new Pakistan as well.
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Sep 08, 2018 12:04am
The courts should watch their steps very well and avoid the lapses that made the man slip away unscathed last time.
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Sep 08, 2018 12:34am
Dont believe that the highups in NBP did not know about the transactions.When any account becomes high risk all debits are usually referred to higher position for approval.A person is being made scapegoat.
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Sep 08, 2018 12:45am
Contempt of court established.
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Sep 08, 2018 03:15am
It is not negligence by staffer. Staffer was given millions as corruption.
Arrest staffer and seniors and charge for assisting in the laundering the money. Also arrest owners.
Put them in jail. Obvious Zardari and associated have have looted billions.
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Sep 08, 2018 06:21am
Amogst other things, it tells us they have millions stashed away. These thieves are guilty as hell. Why do people still support them? We don't have money for a much needed dam.
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Sep 08, 2018 07:16am
NAB should have sealed all the properties and all bank accounts must have been frozen before inquiry begins. Those who showed negligence should be apprehended for this crime.
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Sep 08, 2018 07:18am
@SHAHID SATTAR
Don't you think it's magic, if alcohol can convert into honey, every thing can happen.
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