JIT's progress report sought in money laundering case against MQM founder, others

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has summoned progress report from a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) and records from anti-terrorism court (ATC) Islamabad in money laundering case against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder and others, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) conducted the hearing of a petition of a MQM leader Khawaja Rehan Mansoor where the judge sought the details of investigation in the money laundering charges on the accused persons.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) Islamabad has been directed to provide details of the case, whereas, a progress report was sought from the joint investigation team (JIT) by the high court.

Read: JIT formed to probe RAW funding charges against MQM

A former investigation officer of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Ali Ahmed Abro, appeared in the hearing. He told the high court’s judge that an interim challan of the case had been submitted and the investigation authority had been given to ATC wing.

The defence counsel argued that no progress was made in the case since the last 34 months, whereas, the concerned authorities have not submitted their response in the plea for the transfer of the case from Karachi to Islamabad.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing till October 8.

The money laundering case had been filed by Sarfaraz Merchant, a London based businessman closed to the political party’s leaders, against the MQM founder and others prominent leaders including Babar Khan Ghauri and Khawaja Rehan Mansoor.

Read: FIA moves court for seizure of MQM founder’s properties

It is pertinent to mention here that FIA had detected 69 foreign bank accounts of the MQM leaders, according to its report submitted to an anti-terrorism court on August 3 – 2018.

The FIA revealed that Rs1,321,509,608 were collected from people through extortion and ransom, and during the years 2013-15, that money was deposited in the bank accounts of Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation,

The report further disclosed that those funds were then transferred to the bank accounts of MQM UK, Simon and Simons and other accounts.