Fake Accounts case: Interpol arrests Omni Group's chief financial officer

JEDDAH: The ongoing money laundering case through fake bank accounts met one of its breakthrough as the Interpol apprehended one of the key accused Aslam Masood who had fled the country after his nomination in the case. 

According to details, Aslam Masood, the chief financial officer of Omni Group and Companies was arrested by the help of Interpol as he was boarding a flight from London to Jeddah.

Masood is deemed as “mastermind” behind the plot of moving illegal money through fake accounts, according to the Federal Investigation Agency.

The investigation agency is hailing the development of Masood’s arrest — as a “breakthrough” in the case.

The Supreme Court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Masood, who was declared an absconder, in August.

He is one of the chief suspects in the case, along with 19 other suspects including former president Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur.

Anwar Majeed, the head of the Omni Group, is also in the custody of FIA along with his son Abdul Ghani Majeed on their alleged involvement in the money laundering case.

The case background

The Supreme Court in July had taken up a suo motu case regarding fake accounts that revolves around a 2015 inquiry into the suspicious transactions when 29 ‘benami’ bank accounts were identified. Seven individuals were found involved in transacting Rs 35 bn suspiciously.

Former president Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, were among over a dozen suspects declared absconders in the money-laundering scam.

In the FIA list, Anwar Majeed and his son’s names appear on top, while those of Zardari and Talpur were on the 19th and 20th number, respectively.

According to the FIR registered by FIA, transactions of billions of rupees were made into suspicious accounts, including the one owned by the PPP leaders, the Zardari Group, which is accused of receiving Rs 15 million of the allegedly laundered money.