FIA grills Shehbaz Sharif in Rs25 bn money-laundering case: sources

LAHORE: An inside story has shed light on an investigation into a money laundering case against Opposition Leader and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Kot Lakhpat prison, ARY NEWS reported citing sources.

The three-member FIA team visited the Kot Lakhpat prison and grilled the opposition leader over his alleged role in money laundering of upto Rs 25 billion.

According to sources, the FIA team led by Assistant Director Muhammad Mardan asked five questions from Shehbaz Sharif during the investigation process including queries on his foreign assets and offshore companies.

He was further asked regarding the transfer of the large sums using hawala and hundi procedures besides also being grilled over transactions of Rs25 billion in the accounts of the clerical staff of his company.

While responding to queries, Shehbaz Sharif said that he had not committed corruption of a single rupee and was neither aware of any hawala and hundi mechanism nor about transaction of Rs 25 billion to the account of clerical staff.

“Chief Financial Officer is responsible for the company’s accounts,” the sources quoted him as saying as he denied any knowledge of the wrongdoings. “I have already mentioned my foreign assets in my nomination papers,” he said while responding to a query on foreign assets.