Zardari, Omni Group responsible in fake accounts scam: JIT

LAHORE: The Joint Investigation Team constituted on the orders of the Supreme Court to investigate the multi-billion rupees fake accounts scam, has held PPP co-Chairman Asif Zardari and Omni Group responsible for the suspicious transactions.

The JIT Monday presented its probe report before the two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar.

Read here: Details of JIT report

According to the JIT, monthly expenses of Bilawal family of more than Rs 12 million were paid through these accounts. Payments for the construction of Bilawal Houses in Karachi and Lahore were also made via fake accounts.

The SC has frozen the assets of Omni Group directed the accused to submit replies by  on the report.

Asif Zardari's counsels, Farooq H Naek and Sardar Lateef Khosa, appeared before the bench.

The JIT that has been investigating the fake accounts case recommended a legal course against some 415 key individuals and around 172 entities allegedly involved in transactions of approximately Rs220 billion through 104 fake accounts.

The FIA is investigating 32 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including Zardari and Faryal Talpur. Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July in connection with the probe. The former president’s other close aide and Omni Group Chairman Anwar Majeed, a close aide and his son, Abdul Ghani, were arrested by the FIA in August.

Over 20 benami accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to sources. The amount, according to FIA sources, is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.