IK’s bail plea in 190-million-pound case: IHC turns down NAB prosecutor’s request

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) turned down the request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s bail petition in the 190-million-pound case.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq MehmoodJahangiri heard Imran’s bail plea. Sardar Latif Khosa, represented the PTI founder, while Amjad Parvez appeared on behalf of the NAB.

At the outset, the NAB prosecutor requested the court to defer the hearing in view of the strike called by the legal fraternity across the country. The chief justice remarked that what happened in Lahore on Wednesday was deplorable, and rejected the request of the NAB prosecutor to postpone the hearing.

Justice Aamer said they respect the lawyers’ community, but the work has to go on and they cannot postpone the hearing due to the strike.

Then, the NAB prosecutor argued that an Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) was established which was directly reported to the prime minister and its office was also in the Prime Minister’s Secretariat. He added that a letter was written by the ARU to the National Crime Agency regarding Malik Riaz’s money laundering cases.

The chief justice said that the formation of the Unit has been seen in the case of Chief Justice QaziFaez Isa. The NAB prosecutor said that Malik Riaz bought One Hyde Park property in the UK from Hassan Nawaz. Upon that, Latif Khosa asked the counsel to also tell whose son is Hassan Nawaz? The NAB prosecutor replied that everyone knew about it. He added that no action was taken against Hassan regarding this property in the UK.

The IHC CJ said that the ARU was formed by the prime minister and they are not questioning the legality of this institution, rather they just want to understand the matter.

The NAB prosecutor said Malik Riaz offered to the Supreme Court to submit Rs460 billion in seven years in return of land supplied by Malir Development Authority to Bahria Town. The chief justice asked to whom Bahria Town will pay this amount. The prosecutor replied Bahria Town will pay money to the Sindh government. He said Bahria Town bought and transferred 458 kanals of land in the name of Zulfi Bukhari while Al-Qadir Trust did not come into existence even after several months.

He further said that the value of the land given to Bahria Town is Rs66.6 million while the ARU was investigating the Bahria Town cases and the land was shifted in the meantime while Al-Qadir Trust was nowhere present at that time. He added that after the land was acquired, there was a consultation to register Al-Qadir Trust in a meeting.

He informed that Shahzad Akbar signed a secret deed to unfreeze Malik Riaz's money from NCA, which was approved by the federal cabinet without seeing it while the secret deed was signed by Shahzad Akbar on behalf of the federal cabinet with the National Crime Agency. He added that the NCA had frozen the money of Malik Riaz and his family.

Justice Tariq Jahangiri inquired that why the NCA froze that amount. The NAB prosecutor said that NCA froze the money due to suspicion, which was later transferred to the Supreme Court account.

The judge again asked whether there is a certified copy of the money freezing order in the UK. The prosecutor said that there is no copy of the order but the document that is there contains all the incidents. Justice Jahangiri then asked whether there is a copy of the decision to unfreeze money in UK. The prosecutor replied in the negative.

The chief justice said money of Malik Riaz and his family came to the account of the Supreme Court in Pakistan. The prosecutor said this is an illegal act. Justice Aamer said let me first understand it and where something is illegal then you can tell him.

The court adjourned the hearing till May 13.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024