KARACHI:The Banking Court on Monday extended the interim bail of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and his sister MPA Faryal Talpur till December 21 in Rs35billion money laundering case.
The banking court heard the case of mega money laundering. Zardari, Talpur and Nimar Majeed appeared before the court and submitted plea, seeking extension in interim bail. The court extended their bail till the 21th December.
Nimr is the son of Omni Group head Anwar Majeed. Anwar and his son Abdul Ghani are already in jail in this case involving at least Rs35 billion funneled through fake bank accounts at three local banks.
Zardari and Talpur’s interim bail had expired Monday and they filed an extension appeal. The hearing was adjourned till the 21st December.
Non-bailable arrest warrants have been issued for absconders in this case, Naseer Abdullah, Adnan Javed and Muhammad Ameer.
The FIA is investigating 32 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including Zardari and Talpur.
Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July in connection with the probe.
The former president’s other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son, Abdul Ghani, were arrested by the FIA in August.
Over 20 ‘Benami’ accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to sources.
The amount, according to FIA sources, is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.