Fake accounts case: AC extends physical remand of Nadeem Bhutto

The Accountability Court hearing fake bank accounts case on Monday extended the physical remand of Nadeem Bhutto, in-charge of Naudero House Larkana, for three days on the request of National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The NAB officials produced Nadeem Bhutto before the Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik on expiry of his remand.
NAB Prosecutor Usman Mirza told the court that Nadeem is a servant but all utility connections are in his name. The NAB has obtained further important information, he said, adding that NAB has not yet received a report regarding utility connections. He told the court that a person namely Yasir Soomro was arranging money for running the affairs of Naudero House Larkana. The NAB had summoned him but he did not join investigation, he said.
The NAB prosecutor further told the court that former President Asif Ali Zardari had been questioned in this regard when he appeared before NAB's Combined Investigation Team (CIT) but he expressed ignorance about arrangement of money for payment of utility bills.
He said that salaries of employees of Naudero House are paid from Nadeem's account, adding that money had been transferred to his account from the fake bank accounts. The prosecutor requested the court to grant further remand of the accused. Defence counsel Asad Abbasi while objecting to the NAB's request said that the arguments of NAB prosecutor revolve around a source which is yet not confirmed, asking why cases have been framed against so many people.
He said that NAB wants his client to become approver against Zardari. His client's statement is that he is working as a servant, he added. The court after hearing arguments of both the parties extended physical remand of Bhutto for three days. Meanwhile, the court while hearing the fourth reference in fake bank accounts case regarding Thatta water supply scheme marked attendance of 10 out of total 13 accused.
The NAB has nominated chief executive officer of Omni Group and his spouse along with 11 other accused persons. In the reference, the bureau nominated 13 accused persons including Ejaz Ahmed Khan, former secretary of the Special Initiative Department of Sindh; Hassan Memon, project director/chairman of the procurement committee for the water supply scheme, Thatta; and members of the committee namely Ali Akbar Abro, Aijaz Ahmed Memon, Athar Nawaz Durrani, Abdul Haleem Memon, Mohammad Farrukh Khan, Mohammad Ramzan, Mohammad Siddiq Sulemani and Zeeshan Hasan Yousaf; private contractor Harish, Omni Group CEO Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, and Minahal Majeed.
Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, who is currently in Maleer jail, could not be produced before the court and the NAB prosecutor told the court that he will be produced on the next hearing. The court issued directives to produce Minahal Majeed and Memon before it on the next hearing and adjourned the hearing of the case till June 3.