Islamabad (Staff Report): Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday submitted a review petition in the Supreme Court (SC), seeking removal of his name from a report submitted by the joint investigation team in the fake accounts case.
Bilawal, in his petition, has requested the top court to review its Order dated 7.1.19.
“In the interest of justice that this Hon’ble Court may be pleased to review / recall / modify the Order dated 7.1.19 passed by this Hon’ble Court and direct deletion of the name of the Applicant from the JIT report and from any other probe, proceedings etc. being conducted by FIA, NAB and/or any other Authority in respect of the subject matter of title proceedings and pass such other order as deemed appropriate in the circumstances of the case,” the petitioner stated.
Earlier, former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur had filed a petition in the Supreme Court to review top court’s January 7 verdict in the ongoing money laundering case.
The petition filed by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman and Talpur through their lawyer Latif Khosa states that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) failed to submit a final challan in the banking court and the agency was unable to find any evidence against them despite cooperation from all institutions.
The petition said that the Supreme Court decision will affect the “fair trial” and the top court’s January 7 should be reviewed.
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed by the apex court had submitted a report alleging that a close nexus had been found between a troika of Zardari Group, Bahria Town and Omni Group in the ‘fake accounts' scam.
The report revealed that at least 29 bank accounts had been identified as fake which had been used for money laundering of Rs42 billion.
The top court, in an order passed in the case on Jan 7, had referred the JIT report to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to initiate a fresh inquiry into the case.
The apex court ordered NAB to investigate the case in light of JIT report, and to complete its investigation within two months.
"NAB can probe Bilawal and CM Shah independently. If after the investigation a reference can be formed, then it should be filed,” Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed.
The bench further asked the accountability bureau to summon whoever it wishes, and instructed the JIT to continue its own probe in the meantime.
