Waiting for JIT report probing fake bank accounts, says CJP

ISLAMABAD: “Waiting for the report of Joint Investigation Team (JIT)  probing fake bank accounts, ” remarked Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar here on Tuesday, while hearing a case with regard to fake bank accounts.

Bench headed by the CJP resumed hearing of the case. At the outset of the hearing, the top judge remarked ” the OMNI group has to pay debt of Rs 11.59 billion to the National Bank and Sindh Bank, which are running in loss.”

“Nimar Majeed’ son of Anwar Majeed was not arrested on our [Supreme Court] orders,” said chief justice during hearing of the case.

However, advocate Munir Bhatti informed the bench that negotiations are underway with the banks and pleaded the court to give time of 10 days, on which CJP  later adjourned the hearing till Monday.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on October 27, arrested Nimar Majeed, son of Chairman OMNI Group, Anwar Majeed outside Supreme Court Karachi Registry in a matter pertaining to missing of sugar worth Rs 11 billions from the mills owned by the group.

A bench of the apex court headed by CJP heard the case at its Karachi registry. ”Where was FIA and Police, when sugar worth billions of rupees went missing from the sugar mills of OMNI group,” the CJP asked during the hearing.

During hearing of the case, DG FIA informed the honorable bench that “Nine sugar mills are operating under the umbrella of OMNI group and nine cases of missing sugar have been registered.”

DG FIA on query of the CJP about offices of the OMNI Group, contended that the group have its office in Karachi and some other offices in rural areas of Sindh.

The top court had constituted the JIT to probe the money-laundering scam involving former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and OMNI group head, Anwar Majeed.

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.