Money-laundering scam: Matter to be dealt as per law if Sindh CM summoned: spokesman

KARACHI: Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed on the Supreme Court (SC) direction for further probing mega money laundering scam, could summon Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Shah in coming days due to his alleged role in granting irregular financial benefits to a favourite business group, The News learnt.

The sources close to JIT told The News that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Shah, who has also been holding the charge of Minister for Finance since last ten years, is in the JIT radar and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and could be summoned within days for his alleged role in granting financial benefits to Omni Group (which is already under probe of JIT for money laundering) and sanctioning of Rs1.76 billion to Group’s three sugar mills in the name of revival of sick industrial units, granting of millions of rupees of subsidy for the growers of sugarcane which has been given directly to Omni Group and then allegedly embezzled by the group, a matter of handing over of Thatta Sugar Mills to Omni Group on lowest price despite of high price quoted by another Group.

A senior FIA officer on the condition of anonymity told this reporter that as a finance minister and then as a Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Shah played a vital role in facilitating some favourite business groups especially Omni Group and his role in all financial irregularities under inquiry of FIA including infamous mega money laundering case.

Rasheed Channa, Spokesman for Sindh chief minister told The News that the steps taken by CM Shah were on merit, according to law and there was no irregularity in all the process.

“However, if JIT or any other agency sends notice or summons to CM Shah, the matter would be dealt with according to laws and as per the advice of legal consultants”, concluded Mr Channa.