ISLAMABAD, Jan 28 (APP):Former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur Monday filed a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging its January 7 decision in the mega money laundering case.
The petitioners adopted the stance that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had failed to submit the final chalan in the banking court as it had found no solid or direct evidence against them.
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had not included their stance in its report in the Supreme Court without including their stance, they added.
They also took the plea that the filing of a reference against them in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi was “unlawful” as the “entire alleged record” of the case was in Karachi. The top court, in its judgement, had directed NAB to file references against the accused in an accountability court in Rawalpindi or Islamabad — not in Karachi, they added.
They argued that the JIT had also recommended further inquiry in the case and requested the apex court to review its decision.
The top court, in its order passed in the case on January 7, had referred the JIT report and evidence collected to NAB for further investigation, directing the anti-corruption watchdog to wrap up its investigation within two months.
The top court also directed the authorities to remove names of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah from the Exit Control List (ECL) for the time being. However, it added, NAB would not be prevented from probing their case further.
The judgment stated that, all cases which have not been concluded or in the opinion of the JIT required further prob shall remain within the jurisdiction of the JIT which shall continue it probe and investigation under the mandate granted by the apex court and directed to complete such investigation within reasonable time where after its report together with all material and evidence shall be transmitted to NAB without the need for any further order from this court for action in accordance with law.
The court also ordered that names of Anwar Mansoor Khan’s brother and Farooq H Naek and his family be removed from the JIT report and from ECL as well but directed NAB to continue investigation against them.
Several bigwigs, including former president Asif Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, former president of Summit Bank Hussain Lawai and Omni Group’s Anwar Majeed, were all nominated in the case. Property tycoon Malik Riaz, his son-in-law Zain have also been included in the probe.
Over 27 ‘benami’ accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were allegedly made. The amount, according to FIA, is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.
