Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): An accountability court on Thursday indicted National Bank of Pakistan President Saeed Ahmed and and two others in a supplementary corruption reference against former finance minister Ishaq Dar.
Judge Mohammad Bashir read out the charges in presence of all accused, to which the co-accused pleaded not guilty.
Ahmed informed the court that he has challenged his indictment in the Supreme Court. However, the judge observed that the proceedings will continue until the apex court rules otherwise.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed an interim reference against Dar in September last year on the Supreme Court's orders in the Panama Papers case.
In a supplementary reference filed earlier this year, NAB named National Bank of Pakistan President Saeed Ahmed, Naeem Mehmood and Mansoor Rizvi as co-accused.
The latter two have been identified as directors of one of Dar's companies. All three are accused of aiding Dar in opening fictitious bank accounts and transferring money abroad.
Earlier, the court had dismissed National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Saeed Ahmed’s plea, seeking rejection of NAB's supplementary reference against Dar and him.
Ahmed had filed the application under section 265-D (when charge is to be framed) of the Criminal Procedure Code, praying to the court to reject the supplementary reference to his extent in view. In addition, he prayed before the court that NAB working with the slogan “say no to corruption”, be subjected to pay compensation for his false involvement in the case.
During the course of investigation, it was revealed that Ahmed was one of the Directors of Hajveri Modaraba Management Company and 7,000 shares in Hajveri Holding (Pvt) Ltd were also transferred in his favour from the wife of the principal accused – Dar.
The reference stated that seven bank accounts were opened in Ahmed’s name which, as per investigation conducted so far, were used for the benefit of Dar and his companies.