Will make sure JIT gets all the records in fake bank accounts case: CJP

Published October 26, 2018
A file photo of Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar.
A file photo of Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Friday said he will make sure that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) tasked with probing fake bank accounts receives all the documents they need from the Sindh government.

Under the chief justice's stewardship, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court heard the case in which the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) claims that Rs54 billion were transferred through 107 fake accounts.

The top judge, during the hearing at the SC Karachi registry, issued directives for Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah to meet him in his chamber tomorrow, despite being told by advocate general Sindh that the CM was out of city.

"Where is the Sindh chief secretary; there are reports of non-cooperation," remarked Justice Nisar soon after the hearing began.

"We have given all the records," the chief secretary claimed.

JIT head Ahsan Sadiq confirmed the development, saying: "We have received the documents but need to conduct their scrutiny."

Despite the chief secretary and the JIT head's statements, the chief justice appeared discontented, and remarked: "Tell the chief minister to come see me in the chamber. I am in Karachi until [the JIT] does not receive each and every record."

His stance soon softened as he acknowledged: "All secretaries have assured their complete cooperation. This cooperation should continue."

The judge, however, made it clear that "strict action will be taken against those who do not follow court orders."

The chief justice said he was "confident that [Advocate General] Salman Talibuddin's presence, everyone would cooperate with the JIT".

DG FIA Bashir Memon, in a brief chat with the media outside the court, also confirmed that "the Sindh government has now started cooperating" with the investigation.

Meanwhile, detained banker Taha Raza, who is one of the accused in the case, told the court that he has fractured his leg and needs treatment.

The court granted Raza's request and ordered for him to be transferred to a hospital.

Fake bank accounts case

An FIA JIT had been investigating a 2015 case regarding fake accounts and fictitious transactions conducted through ‘benami’ accounts in Summit Bank, Sindh Bank and UBL.

Seven individuals, including PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, were said to be involved in using those accounts for suspicious transactions. The accounts were allegedly used to channel funds received through kickbacks.

While hearing a suo motu case regarding a delay in the FIA probe into the case, the SC had constituted a JIT to probe into the matter.

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