Fake accounts case: Zardari, Talpur appear before accountability court

Entry of unauthorised persons into the court has been restricted, however media persons are allowed.

RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – Former president Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday appeared before an accountability court in Rawalpindi in a fake accounts and money laundering case.

Justice Arshad Malik presided over hearing of the case while NAB prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi told the court that some accused persons in the case were imprisoned in Karachi’s Malir Jail and were not produced during today’s hearing.

To which, the judge expressed displeasure and warned of a show cause notice to Sindh government if the accused persons were not produced in the next hearing.

Except four accused persons, attendance of all other suspects were marked in the court, whereas bailable arrest warrants were issued for four persons including, Iqbal, Azam, Nisar and Adnan.

The NAB prosecutor also told the court that two accused women namely Kiran Aman and Noreen Sultan – who had expressed their willingness to become approvers against Zardari, his sister Talpur and other primary accused persons in the case – have submitted their application with the NAB. However, the process of their becoming approvers and application has not been completed yet.

They are among the 30 accused nominated in the case by NAB.

To which, the court ordered to issue notices to all accused persons who were not appearing for the hearings. Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned till April 29.

Reportedly, strict security measures are formulated and implemented around the court and its premises, and a heavy contingent of police has been deployed to prevent any untoward incident during the hearing.

Entry of unauthorised persons into the court has been restricted, however media persons have been allowed to access the court room.

During the hearing on April 8, the court marked the attendance of the accused persons and ordered the distribution of copies of the reference of the same case among their lawyers. The case was adjourned until April 16, and both Zardari and Talpur left the premises without further interaction with the media outside the court.

Earlier on April 12, the NAB had requested Islamabad High Court (IHC) to revoke interim bail of former president Asif Ali Zardari because he might tamper the record pertaining to the fake bank account case.

The NAB had submitted its reply to the IHC in a bail petition filed by the former president in the fake bank accounts’ case.

The IHC has extended Zardari and his sister Talpur’s interim bail till April 29, whereas the NAB has summoned Faryal Talpur for interrogation tomorrow (Wednesday).

On April 13, Zardari had submitted his written response to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi on 54 questions in connection with three cases against him, including Park Lane Estate, Pink Residency, and fake accounts and money laundering.

Earlier, the case was being heard in a banking court in Karachi but had been shifted to an accountability court in Islamabad upon an appeal by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The Federal Investigation Agency had named Zardari, Talpur, Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed, his sons and other suspects in a charge sheet filed in the banking court in August 2018 for alleged money laundering of billions of rupees through fake bank accounts in three banks - Summit Bank, Sindh Bank and United Bank Ltd.