Fake bank accounts case: Non-compliance of summons issued to accused irks court

The Accountability Court hearing multi-billion rupees fake bank accounts case on Wednesday expressed annoyance on non-compliance of summons issued to the accused in corruption reference filed on charges of incurring Rs 25 billion in losses to the Sindh Bank, and ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to issue fresh notices on the correct address.

Accountability Court judge, Azam Khan, while hearing the case, ordered the NAB to issue fresh notices to those accused on their address, who had not appeared before the court.

Former president of Sindh Bank Bilal Sheikh, Hussain Lawai, former Pakistan Stock Exchange chairperson and senior vice president Summit Bank, Abdul Ghani Majid son of Omni group chairman and other accused appeared before the court.

However, Younus Kidwai, former administrator Karachi Metropolitan Cooperation (KMC), Aslam Masood CFO Omni Group, and Muhammad Adnan Khan Afridi did not appear before the court, despite the notices issued to them.

The court expressed anger over non-compliance over summons of some of the accused and directed the NAB to collect fresh address, mobile number and email address from the accused during investigation.

The court ordered issuance of fresh summons to the accused who did not appear on correct address and adjourned hearing till March 26.

The NAB had filed a reference in connection with multi-billion rupees fake bank accounts case against two former presidents of Sindh Bank and 18 other accused for their alleged involvement in corruption, and award of loans to Omni Group through illegal means.

The accused had allegedly facilitated a loan worth Rs 29 billion to unnamed companies of the Omni Group.

Sheikh was currently working as director of Sindh Bank.

According to the NAB reference, out of Rs 29 billion loans, Rs 25 billion were yet to be paid.

The NAB has decided to keep foreign currency recovered from Bilal Sheikh in their possession and the investigation officer NAB, Mubasher Karim, also submitted a written reply before the Accountability Court in this regard.

The bureau also decided to keep the mobile phone, laptop, USB and TDRs recovered from Sheikh in their possession.

According to the NAB, the total value of the TDR recovered from Sheikh is more three Rs 300 million.

The foreign currency recovered from Shekih includes US dollars, Dirhams and Saudi Riyal, the NAB said.

The NAB told the court that the foreign currency and other things recovered from the accused would be used as an evidence in the case.