Home »Top Stories » Pre-arrest bails of Zardari, Faryal extended till January 23
A banking court on Monday extended the pre-arrest bail of Asif Ali Zardari, former President and Co-Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and his sister Faryal Talpur till January 23, 2019 in an alleged money-laundering case related to dubious transactions from fake banks accounts. Amidst the large gathering of the PPP supporters and leaders outside the court, the duo appeared in the banking court. The PPP workers' attempts to enter into the court's room resulted in ruckus at the entrance of the court's premises.

The commotion, created by PPP's supporters even compelled Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to request the court to issue orders for deployment of Rangers outside the court premises to control the situation.

When the banking court resumed the hearing on the case, defence counsel pleaded the court to direct FIR to submit final challan in the case, at which the court stated that apex court has stopped it to proceed furthers on the case.

"We can't take further action without the orders of Supreme Court (SC), which is also hearing the case," the banking court's judge Tariq Khoso stated.

A joint investigation team (JIT) - constituted on the orders of the SC had already submitted its report in the top court viz-a-viz the money laundering case.

The banking court approved the extension in the pre-arrest bail of Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur till January 23, 2019, which both the accused sought through their counsel Farooq H Naek. This is the seventh time Zardari and Talpur have been given extension in their pre-arrest bail after both of them were granted the bail in July this year.

Both Zardari and Talpur are facing the allegations of illegally transferring the funds through fake bank accounts in connivance with the businessmen and top officials of banks.

Meanwhile, Hussain Lawai, accused in the money-laundering case, was produced in the proceeding of the case. He told the court that he was brought in Karachi on Sunday from Adiala Jail after the court has issued the orders for this production in the previous hearing.

Abdul Ghani Majid, son of Chairman Omni Group Anwar Majid, was also produced in the proceedings of the case after he was also brought from Adiala Jail Rawalpindi to Karachi.

FIA's Prosecutor Bakhtiar Ahmed Channa informed the court about the reservations of investigation agency due to gathering of the PPP supporters outside the court on the arrival of their leadership.

He pleaded the court to take action on the situation, as how the proceedings of the case can move ahead in such a ruckus and said that this is situation is creating problems to maintain law & order.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019


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