Fake bank accounts case: applications for plea bargain of three accused still under process: NAB

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Tuesday informed the Accountability Court that applications for plea bargain of three accused in the fake bank accounts case are still under process. Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir during the hearing inquired about the plea bargain applications of the accused Khursheed Anwar Jamali, Syed Asif Mehmood and Syed Arif Ali. The investigation officer of the case told the court that their applications are still under process.
The NAB arrested chairperson Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company Khursheed Anwar Jamali, CEO M/s Technomen Kinetics Pvt Ltd Syed Asif Mehmood and Director Nooriabad Power Company Syed Arif Ali in the fake bank accounts case. During the hearing, the NAB prosecutor requested the court to extend physical remand of the accused for another 14 days to complete the investigation.
The defence counsel objected to the request and prayed the court to reject the NAB's application. However, the court extended physical remand of the accused till July 24. According to the NAB, Jamali was included in investigation by the joint investigation team (JIT) that probed fake bank accounts. However, he was also arrested over corruption charges in Nooriabad Power Plant Project.
The accused persons allegedly committed corruption in purchase of machinery for Nooriabad Power Plant Project, the prosecutor told the court. The Nooriabad Power Project was launched in 2014 under a public-private partnership at the cost of Rs 13 billion in which the government of Sindh held 49 percent shares and a private company owned 51 percent. Around 95 km-long 132kV double-circuit transmission lines were laid from Nooriabad to Karachi at the cost of Rs 1.95 billion.