NAB court defers Asif Zardari's indictment in fake bank accounts case
A notice has also been sent to NAB on Zardari's plea of reference dismissal
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Accountability court on Wednesday has deferred indictment proceedings against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari in fake bank accounts scandal.
According to details, the PPP leader appeared before the court during which, the judge has postponed his indictment in Park Lane and mega money laundering cases till September 17.
Subsequently, a notice has also been sent to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Zardari’s plea seeking reference dismissal.
Earlier, NAB had filed a supplementary reference against Asif Ali Zardari in Park Lane case and nominated hims as key accused. Company’s directors and two employees of a private bank have also been named in the case.
Case history
On August 10, 2020, NAB court had indicted Asif Ali Zardari in Park Lane reference on video link.
The PPP leader had pleaded not guilty in the case and asked the judge to write in the order that there was no defence counsel over which, the judge said that you don‘t need lawyer for listening to the accusations listed in the charge sheet.
In December 2019, former president Asif Ali Zardari was released on medical grounds after an accountability court in Islamabad issued separate robkars [mandamuses] in the Park Lane Estate Company and the money laundering through fake bank accounts cases against him.
The charges in the latest case centre around allegations Zardari laundered vast sums of money through suspect bank accounts and companies.
NAB is conducting investigations in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the money laundering of billions through fake accounts case wherein it forwarded the joint investigation team (JIT) report with directions to investigate and file references.
Zardari has repeatedly dismissed allegations he had a hand in the scheme. Never popular and always shrouded in controversy, Zardari -- who was once jailed for 11 years for corruption -- stepped down from the president s office in 2013. But he has continued to serve as co-chairman of the opposition PPP.
