Money laundering: FIA prepares interim challan against Shehbaz Sharif, others

LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has prepared an interim challan against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his son Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz and others while making progress on money laundering case, ARY News reported on Friday.

The FIA investigators prepared an interim challan against Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza and others after making three changes. Sources told ARY News that the investigators mentioned complete addresses and the fathers’ names of the accused persons.

In the interim charge sheet, the co-accused Shabbar’s death was confirmed. Sources added that interrogators and witnesses remained unchanged in the challan. The interim charge sheet against Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz will be submitted to the court on Saturday (tomorrow).

READ: INTERFERENCE IN HIGH-PROFILE CASES: SC SUMMONS DG FIA, DIRECTOR LAW

It is important to mention here that the court had directed the intelligence agency to submit an interim charge sheet during the previous hearing.

FIA compliance report

On May 28, a special court hearing a money laundering case against PM Sharif and Punjab PM Hamza expressed dissatisfaction over the FIA compliance report. Shehbaz and Hamza Shehbaz were present in the courtroom during the hearing.

Judge Ijaz Hassan Awan had expressed resentment over the investigation officer’s report about arrest warrants of absconding accused Salman Shehbaz, Malik Maqsood and Tahir Naqvi.

“A report was submitted a year ago about sending notices to the accused to their addresses. Now, the report said that accused were not found at their concerned address,” the judge remarked. “Which of the reports to be believed”, he questioned.

The court had also resented over the absence of the father’s name in the warrant against Salman Shehbaz, Tahir Naqvi and exclusion of the name of a deceased accused Ghulam Shabbir from the challan.

The FIA lawyer had suggested serving warrants to the accused again with a fresh compliance report. “Ghulam Shabbir’s death certificate is one year old, the inquiry began before it,” the counsel said.

The investigation officer should submit the investigation concerned with Ghulam Shabbir, the court said. “The challan seemed to be submitted again,” the judge had said.

READ: GOVT’S INTERFERENCE IN HIGH-PROFILE CASES: FIA SUBMITS REPORT TO SC

The accountability court later extended the interim bail of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz till June 04.

Shehbaz and his family are facing charges of money laundering of billions of rupees using accounts of their sugar mills and employees, according to the FIA.