NAB gets 9-day remand of Faryal Talpur for questioning

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Saturday remanded former president Asif Ali Zardari’s sister Faryal Talpur in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) custody on nine-day physical remand in the mega money laundering case.

A NAB team presented Talpur before Accountability Judge Arshad Malik amid tight security. NAB prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi requested the court to remand her in the bureau’s custody for questioning in the case.

He contended before the court that the PPP leader was arrested yesterday in pursuance of her arrest warrants issued on June 13. Her Islamabad residence has been declared a sub-jail where two female officials of the bureau have been deputed, he added.

The prosecutor pleaded that Faryal Talpur be remanded in the NAB custody for 14 days for interrogation.

Advocate Farooq H Naek, representing the PPP leader, opposed the NAB plea for physical remand.

When the judge asked the investigation officer about provision of a copy of the reference to the accused persons, he replied in the affirmative.

Farooq H Naek, however, said he was not provided a copy of the reference yet. At this, the investigation officer replied the reference had been submitted to the court registrar who is scrutinising it.

The judge directed the bureau to ensure that the copies of the reference are made available to him by Monday in any case.

Faryal Talpur’s arrest followed on the heels of her brother, former president Asif Ali Zardari being taken into custody by the anti-graft body earlier this week.

Following her arrest, she was shifted to her Islamabad residence which has been declared a sub-jail to incarcerate her. A team of doctors conducted medical examination of Talpur at the sub-jail and declared her fit.

A total of twelve lady police personnel have been deployed at Talpur’s residence.

The bureau had issued arrest warrants for Talpur late night on Thursday, days after her brother and PPP co-chairman was arrested in the fake accounts case.

On Monday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) rejected the two leaders’ bail application in the money laundering case, allowing the NAB to arrest them.

The bureau is probing four cases against the former president and his sister. They both have been named the prime accused in the cases.