Fake accounts case: Zardari, Talpur’s interim bail extended till today

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday extended former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur’s interim bail till Thursday (today) in references pertaining to mega money laundering through fake bank accounts.

The bench also expressed displeasure with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for not providing details of cases against Zardari and Talpur in compliance of its orders. A divisional bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani heard the bail petitions and stopped the anti-graft body from arresting the accused. During the proceedings, NAB’s prosecutor Jahanzeb Bharwana pleaded that the funds which were transferred to fake accounts were used for illegal activities.

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had investigated 32 bank accounts that disclosed links of thousands of accounts. On the query of bench, he stated that an amount of Rs15 million was transferred to Zardari Group’s account from a fake account of Umer Associates. Mrs Talpur is also operating the account of Zardari Group. Zardari and Talpur had shares in Zardari Group, he further contended. Expressing displeasure, the bench remarked that why the NAB officials appeared before court without the relevant record. “Should the petitioner be given further interim bail,” Justice Kiyani said. “Should the court serve a contempt of court notice to NAB,” Justice Aamer Farooq said while addressing the NAB officials. The NAB investigation officer said the record of the cases was too big. Zardari and Talpur were accused of facilitating the crime, he said, adding the accused assisted transactions in fake accounts. Justice Farooq asked the petitioners’ counsel that from where Rs15 million was transferred into the account operated by Talpur. Farook H Naek contended that Mrs Talpur is associated with sugarcane farming. The amount was transferred against the supply of sugarcane to four sugar mills of the Omni Group. Naek also apprised the court that those accounts were in fact business accounts and are not fake. Later, the court adjourned the case till today (Thursday) and directed the anti-graft body to produce the cases record. Both the former president and his sister attended the proceeding.