Lahore (Staff Report): The Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday ordered to shift Omni Group chairperson Anwar Majeed, his son Abdul Ghani Majeed and former Pakistan Stock Exchange chairman Hussain Lawai to Islamabad.
The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard money laundering through fake bank accounts case at the SC’s Lahore Registry.
The counsel of Anwar Majeed requested the court that his client should be investigated in Karachi, however, the chief justice rejected the request.
Anwar Majeed be shifted to PIMS Hospital and AG Majeed and Lawai to Adiala jail, the CJP remarked. He said an air ambulance should be arranged if Anwar Majeed cannot travel on an ordinary plane.
The top judge said that these people were influential and powerful in Karachi so they should be shifted to the federal capital for an independent investigation.
The court observed it will see whether they should be shifted back to Karachi after the investigation is complete.
In his remarks, Justice Ijazul Ahsan said that the request of Majeed’s counsel was giving the impression that there was another reason behind it.
Moreover, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Bashir Memon informed the court that Anwar Majeed was not cooperating in the inquiry.
To this, the CJP remarked that the joint investigation team (JIT) has now been given full authority and a report should be presented within 10 days.
Majeed’s counsel also informed the bench that Omni Group owes Rs1.2 billion to Silk Bank, Rs1.8 billion to Summit Bank, Rs4.98 billion to National Bank and Rs4.6 billion to Sindh Bank.
This amount will be paid back in the form of property, said the counsel.
When the officials associated with JIT said that the rates of properties were overvalued, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar remarked that heads of all banks should submit affidavits regarding prices of the properties.
This is pertinent to mention that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is investigating 32 people, including Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur in connection with money laundering from fake accounts.
Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July in connection with the probe.
Former president's other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son, Abdul Ghani, were also arrested by FIA in October whereas Majeed’s three other sons were granted interim bail.
Over 20 ‘benami’ accounts were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in some banks from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to sources.
According to FIA sources, the amount is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.
