Fake accounts case: JIT seeks more records from Sindh government

KARACHI: The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has sought more records from the Sindh government in connection with an ongoing probe into fake accounts’ case, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The investigation team asked the provincial government to provide complete records of development works in Matiari and other districts of Sindh, sources said.

The investigators have started looking into suspicious transactions allegedly made through fake bank accounts of contractors.

Different development projects, which had been initiated in different districts between 2013 to 2018 were being probed by the JIT members, sources added.

Complete data of development funds, allotted to members of the national and provincial assemblies, was also summoned by the team.

Formation of Joint Investigation Team (JIT)

On September 6 last year, the apex court constituted a six-member joint investigation team to investigate the fake bank accounts case.

Six members of the JIT, headed by Additional Director General (Economic Crime Wing) FIA Headquarters Ahsan Sadiq, include Commissioner-IR (Corporate Zone) Regional Tax Officer Imran Latif Minhas, Joint Director BID-I State Bank of Pakistan Majid Hussain, Director National Accountability Bureau Noman Aslam, Muhammad Afzal, Director (Specialized Companies Division) Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan and Brigadier Shahid Parvez of Inter-Services Intelligence.

The case background

Former president Asif 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 appeared on top of the list 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 laundered money.