Fake accounts case: Aslam Masood to be presented in court tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will produce Aslam Masood, alleged mastermind of money-laundering and fake bank accounts, before a local court tomorrow (Saturday) to obtain his transitory remand, reported ARY News.

FIA will seek the suspect’s remand to transport him to Karachi for presenting him before the banking court hearing the fake bank accounts case involving former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur.

Masood, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Omni Group, was arrested by the Interpol when he was boarding a flight from London to Jeddah in October. He was subsequently extradited to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia.

An FIA team had wanted to go to Saudi Arabia and arrest Masood there, however, the team wasn’t issued visas.

He was deported by Saudi Arabia on Friday afternoon, and as soon as he landed at the Islamabad International Airport, he was taken into custody by the FIA.

He will be presented before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which is probing the fake bank accounts case.

Earlier in August, the Supreme Court (SC) had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Masood, declaring him an absconder.

PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, their close aide Anwar Majeed and others are facing a probe into the money laundering scam involving over Rs35 billion laundered through fake bank accounts.

Sources say Masood looked after all the financial matters of Anwar Majeed’s company Kam Crown and therefore, he is believed to be privy to important information regarding the ‘mega money-laundering’ case.

He is, therefore, believed to be the ‘mastermind’ of money laundering carried out through the fake bank accounts.