NAB files supplementary reference against Dar

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday filed a supplementary reference against the former finance minister Senator Ishaq Dar. The supplementary reference was filed in the main corruption reference titled “assets and funds beyond known sources of income” that is pending adjudication before the accountability court.

NAB, through its Special Prosecutor Imran Shafique, filed supplementary reference that includes 24 more prosecution witnesses and three new accused persons.

Seven volume reference includes the account details of accused persons, with transactions amounting to $4.06 million and Rs427million, Prosecutor Shafique told. Accused persons are summoned before the court on February 28. The same date NAB Investigation Officer (IO) Nadir Abbas will record his statement before the court in the main reference.

It is to mention here that the accountability court (AC) on Feb 14 had allowed NAB to file a supplementary reference after prosecutor, Shafique, had told the court that the bureau got some new information pertaining to Dar's assets. The prosecution aims to bring on record the entire incriminating material through supplementary reference, NAB applicant had also said. In the main reference, trial is almost concluded with JIT head Wajid Zia and 28 other prosecution witnesses recorded their testimonies and only IO has left to record his statement.

It is to mention here that the AC is recording evidence in this matter under Section 512 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in the absence of the accused persons since court on December 11 had declared Dar a proclaimed offender and later order for the attachment of his properties. Ishaq Dar is an accused in a corruption reference by the title of Assets & Funds Beyond Known Sources of Income. In the reference, NAB has alleged that the accused (Dar) has acquired assets and pecuniary interests / resources in his own name and / or in the name of his dependants of an approximate amount of Rs831.678 million (approx).