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

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday extended former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur’s interim bail till 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 course of proceeding, NAB’s prosecutor Jahanzeb Bharwana pleaded that the funds which were transferred to fake accounts had been used for illegal activities. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had investigated 32 bank accounts that disclosed links of thousands accounts. On the query of bench, he stated that an amount of Rs15 millions had been transferred in Zardari Group’s account from a fake account of Umer Associates.

Mrs Talpur had been 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 had appeared before court without the relevant record. “Should the petitioner given further interim bail,” Justice Kiyani said. “Should court serve a contempt of court notice to NAB,” Justice Aamer Farooq said while addressing the NAB officials.

NAB investigation officer said that the cases record was too big. Zardari and Talpur were accused of facilitating the crime, he said, adding that the accused had assisted transactions in fake accounts. Justice Farooq asked the petitioners’ counsel that from where Rs15 millions were transferred into the account which had been operated by Talpur. Farook H Naek contended that Mrs Talpur was also a landlord and had been associating with harvesting of sugarcane. The amount was transferred against the supply of sugarcane to four sugar mills of Omni Group. Naek also apprised the court that those accounts were in fact business accounts and were not fake. Later, the court adjourned the case till today (Thursday) and directed the anti-graft body to produce the cases record. It may be mentioned here that former president and his sister also attended the proceeding.