ISLAMABAD: The top court on Wednesday granted bail to Khawaja Anwar Majeed, Chairman Omni Group of Companies and close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari, in fake bank accounts case.
A two-judge bench, comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin heard bail petition of Anwar Majeed.
In June, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had rejected Anwar Majeed's bail application in the fake accounts case, which pertains to alleged money laundering worth billions of rupees through 29 accounts opened in three banks.
The bench directed the accused to cooperate with the anti-graft body, saying if the accused does not
cooperate with the NAB authorities, then the bail will be rejected.
Anwar Majeed was asked to submit Rs 100 million bank guarantee and the passport with the SC registrar.
The court ordered for placing his name on the Exit Control List (ECL).
During the proceeding, the NAB prosecutor informed that Anwar Majeed had been in the hospital since day one and had so far not appeared before the NAB officials.
"15 investigations and four references have been postponed due to his non-cooperation," he told.
Justice Mushir Alam told Majeed not to cause problems in the investigations.
Justice Qazi Amin stated that the accused had a chronic heart ailment, adding availing medical treatments was his basic right.
However, he said that the accused could not be permitted to leave the country for treatment.
Munir A Malik, representing Anwar Majeed, argued that his client had been advised to undergo surgery in the United States or the United Kingdom, adding that the co-accused in the case, former president Asif Ali Zardari, was also out on bail.
Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin said that the accused suffered from a serious heart condition and availing medical treatment was his basic right.
However, the judge added, permission could not be given to the accused to travel abroad.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had named PPP leader Asif Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, Anwar Majeed, his sons and over 10 others as accused in an interim reference filed in a banking court in August 2018.
The FIA Karachi in October 2015 received a tip-off of suspicious intra-bank transactions from the Summit Bank, Sindh Bank, and the United Bank Limited.
The profiles of the account holders did not match their earnings/income.
The FIA authorities suspected that these accounts were being run by the Zardari Group and Omni Group, among others.
In June 2018 Supreme Court took suo moto notice of the matter, and directed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the matter.
The JIT found that 32 fake bank accounts were being operated by 11 fake entities to launder money from "kickbacks, land grabbing, and large-scale misappropriation of public funds."
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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