ATC permits FIA to inquire at banks, KKF offices in money laundering case

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court in Karachi, hearing Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF) money laundering case, on Saturday granted FIA to investigate at banks and the KKF offices, ARY News reported.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) informed the court that a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has been constituted. The FIA also said that accused former senator Ahmed Ali was not cooperating in the investigation.

The counsel of Ahmed Ali pleaded to the court that his client could not appear due to ill health adding that whenever the FIA summoned the accused he appeared before it.

The judge said that the decision on the bail plea of the accused will be announced in his presence on April 29.

The JIT submitted its report in the court, which said that substantial evidence has been found against the founder of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and it was decided to verify the documentary evidence from the UK through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Moreover, the forensic test of the weapons recovered from the residence of the founder of the MQM will be conducted to know where these arms were used, the report said. A list of the arms has been sent to the concerned officials for forensic test, the report said.

The report however said that the founder of the MQM, former senator Babar Ghauri and other accused are still at large.

The court on the FIA plea granted permission to the investigation agency to inquire at banks and the KKF offices.

The ATC judge in a previous hearing had issued warrants for the MQM founder and other party leaders involved in the case.

It is pertinent to mention here that FIA had earlier seized 29 properties of the KKF – a welfare organisation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), saying the properties were made with the extortion money.

The investigation agency had earlier said the money collected through donations was being sent to London with the help of six different facilitators.