TERENCE J SIGAMONY

ISLAMABAD: The Supr-eme Court Monday directed Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to shift Anver Majeed, his son Abdul Ghani Majeed and Hussain Lawai, who are allegedly involved in the Rs 35 billion fake accounts case, from hospital to jail.

The Chief Justice warned the Sindh chief minister from assisting or giving any sort of concession to the accused. Addressing the Sindh advocate general, the CJP said: “Convey my message to the chief minister that if any attempt is made to give concession to the accused then they would take action.” If office or house of superintendent jail was made available for Anver Majeed or Abdul Ghani Majeed then it would not be good. “If that happens then the case will be transferred from Sindh to Punjab to get investigation done in other province [Punjab],” he added.

Chairman Omni Group Anver Majeed, his son Abdul Ghani Majeed and former Chairman Pakistan Stock Exchange Hussain Lawai have been arrested in a fake accounts case. Hussain Lawai was arrested in July, while Anver, chairman of the Omni Group of Companies, and his son Ghani were taken into custody by the FIA from the Supreme Court, Islamabad, on August 15. Their health deteriorated in jail; therefore, Anver was admitted to the National Institute of Cardio-Vascular Diseases, while Ghani was admitted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), Karachi, due to abdominal pain and high blood pressure.

The apex court on September 17 ordered the surgeon general of Pakistan to form a medical board to examine health conditions of Anver Majeed and Abdul Ghani Majeed.

Additional Attorney General Nayyar Rizvi submitted the report and according to it, Anver Majeed has cardiac ailment while Ghani is suffering from hemorrhoids.

The Chief Justice said according to the report, the accused do not seem to be suffering life threatening diseases or any such ailments which require them to be in hospitals. “Lawai is fit anyway and has no health problems,” he noted.

Shahid Hamid, the counsel of Anver and Ghani, said the doctors have advised Anwar Majeed for open heart surgery and for that he needs to go abroad. On the other hand, Ghani needs immediate surgery of hemorrhoids. The Chief Justice inquired why rich people have medical problems when they go to jails.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heading a three-judge bench which heard a suo motu case regarding slackness in progress of pending enquiries relating to fake bank accounts, directed Director General FIA Bashir Memon to take them to the jail and investigate. “First they will go to jail and from there they make arrangements for their appointments. They will apply to the superintendent jail for medical treatment and who will inform this court,” said the Chief Justice.

The medical board along with the report also presented recommendations. The report stated that the Omni Group chairman can be made part of investigations.

Chief Justice Nisar said, “Is he an official guest? Shift him to the jail, he has been enjoying for over a month. I don’t remember the last time anyone was admitted to the cardiology unit for as long as Anver Majeed has been.”

Shahid Hamid said Ghani Majeed has low hemoglobin and needs to get a hemorrhoid surgery done.

The outset of proceedings, head of Joint Investigation Team Ahsan Sadiq said that 33 more fake accounts have come to knowledge of the team and at least 334 individuals are involved in money laundering through fake accounts. He said that about 159 bank accounts and 210 companies – of which 47 belong to Anver Majeed’s Omni Group – are currently being investigated for illegal transactions.

The progress report submitted to the apex court by the JIT also highlighted that the funds were deposited in dubious accounts by the government contractors. The money in the fake accounts was deposited through cross-cheques, cheques and cash.

The Chief Justice observed that the accounts were used to legalize illegal funds after being routed through fake accounts and also directed the special courts to refrain from passing any order in applications filed by the respondents of the case.

The FIA is investigating 32 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur.

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 the sources.