FIA bars over 150 suspects in fake bank accounts case from travelling abroad

KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has reportedly placed the names of over 150 suspects allegedly possessing fake bank accounts to a stop list to prevent them from leaving the country.

The federal agency is currently probing a money laundering case worth billions of rupees through fake bank accounts. In the regard, the FIA has added the names of over 150 suspects who reportedly possess such accounts to ‘stop list’ which prevent them from travelling abroad.

The FIA has alerted airports across the country to remain vigilant and instructed to keep a close watch on suspects who attempt to flee the country. The number of fake bank accounts had reach seventy.

On September 6, the Supreme Court of Pakistan constituted a six-member joint investigation team to investigate the fake bank accounts case which has set up his head office in Karachi.

Former president Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur and among over a dozen suspects declared absconders in the money-laundering scam. The FIA has also taken Omni group owner Anwar Majeed and his son into custody over investigations in the case.

According to the FIR registered by FIA, transactions of billions of rupees were made into suspicious accounts, including the Zardari Group, which is accused of receiving Rs15 million of the laundered money.

FIA has also frozen nine bank accounts with over Rs330 million cash belonging to Omni group. In December 2016, the Pakistan Rangers raided the Karachi office of the Omni Group and the residence of Anwar Majeed and confiscated record allegedly related with money laundering.