SC orders formation of JIT to probe money laundering case - Details of SC hearing (05 Sep 2018) - YouTube
- 5 years ago
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe into an ongoing Rs35 billion money laundering case.
"We are forming a JIT and it will submit a report on the matter every 15 days," Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar said as he headed a three-judge bench hearing a case pertaining to money laundering of Rs35 billion from fictitious bank accounts.
During the hearing, former president Asif Zardari's counsel, Aitzaz Ahsan, Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed’s counsel, Shahid Hamid, and Director General Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Bashir Memon appeared before the court.
Zardari and Majeed's counsels presented their arguments against the formation of a JIT to probe into the case.
However, ordering that a JIT be formed, the court said that names of members will be announced later.
The court also directed that Rangers provide security to FIA members.
Further, Justice Ijazul Ahsan remarked, "We are forming a JIT in light of FIA's statement that they do not have the expertise."
"If the suspects are not guilty then they will get a clean chit," he added.
DG FIA records statement
As the hearing went under way, DG FIA Bashir Memon while recording his statement said they conducted a raid at Omni Group’s Karachi office.
“We found documents related to Kam Crown International Trading House Company in Dubai during the raid,” the DG FIA said.
Based on those documents we conducted a raid at the Dubai office and found numerous records of foreign currency accounts, Memon added.
The DIG FIA further told the court that the records of accounts found from the Dubai office belong to family of Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and the transfers in the accounts were made by the same people as those indicated in the account details found earlier.
“From Dubai, money was sent to England and France,” he continued.
Memon continued, We also seized several hard drives which contain a lot of data.
To this, Justice Ijazul Ahsan questioned if FIA has people who can check the data and the DG FIA responded, “Our cyber crime wing is working on it but there is a lot of data.”
The chief justice then remarked, “We should form a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe this matter.”
As Justice Ahsan questioned if anyone had reservations to the formation of a JIT, Justice/Nisar said, “Who will have any reservations?The suspects will get a clean chit. This matter has nothing to do with the suspects,” the chief justice added.Following this, Majeed’s counsel said, “I have filed a miscellaneous petition regarding the JIT, kindly look into it.However, Justice Nisar remarked, We have records of the conversation between Anwar Majeed and the chief minister.It was said that Majeed can reside at the chief minister’s residence, the chief justice added.We will transfer the case to Punjab,” Justice Nisar further said.The chief justice then said, "Instead of the earlier investigation, we should form a JIT .
"We are forming a JIT and it will submit a report on the matter every 15 days," Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar said as he headed a three-judge bench hearing a case pertaining to money laundering of Rs35 billion from fictitious bank accounts.
During the hearing, former president Asif Zardari's counsel, Aitzaz Ahsan, Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed’s counsel, Shahid Hamid, and Director General Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Bashir Memon appeared before the court.
Zardari and Majeed's counsels presented their arguments against the formation of a JIT to probe into the case.
However, ordering that a JIT be formed, the court said that names of members will be announced later.
The court also directed that Rangers provide security to FIA members.
Further, Justice Ijazul Ahsan remarked, "We are forming a JIT in light of FIA's statement that they do not have the expertise."
"If the suspects are not guilty then they will get a clean chit," he added.
DG FIA records statement
As the hearing went under way, DG FIA Bashir Memon while recording his statement said they conducted a raid at Omni Group’s Karachi office.
“We found documents related to Kam Crown International Trading House Company in Dubai during the raid,” the DG FIA said.
Based on those documents we conducted a raid at the Dubai office and found numerous records of foreign currency accounts, Memon added.
The DIG FIA further told the court that the records of accounts found from the Dubai office belong to family of Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and the transfers in the accounts were made by the same people as those indicated in the account details found earlier.
“From Dubai, money was sent to England and France,” he continued.
Memon continued, We also seized several hard drives which contain a lot of data.
To this, Justice Ijazul Ahsan questioned if FIA has people who can check the data and the DG FIA responded, “Our cyber crime wing is working on it but there is a lot of data.”
The chief justice then remarked, “We should form a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe this matter.”
As Justice Ahsan questioned if anyone had reservations to the formation of a JIT, Justice/Nisar said, “Who will have any reservations?The suspects will get a clean chit. This matter has nothing to do with the suspects,” the chief justice added.Following this, Majeed’s counsel said, “I have filed a miscellaneous petition regarding the JIT, kindly look into it.However, Justice Nisar remarked, We have records of the conversation between Anwar Majeed and the chief minister.It was said that Majeed can reside at the chief minister’s residence, the chief justice added.We will transfer the case to Punjab,” Justice Nisar further said.The chief justice then said, "Instead of the earlier investigation, we should form a JIT .