Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): Pakistan Peoples Party leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur on Monday appeared before an accountability court hearing the long-running fake bank accounts case and money laundering case.
As Court II Judge Arshad Malik resumed hearing, a third suspect named Sher Mohammad requested the court that he be allowed to testify as a witness.
At this, the NAB prosecutor informed the court that the accused’s request had been received by the bureau and it was reviewing the application.
The court then extended the interim bail of Zardari and his sister Talpur till May 9.
During the last hearing, two women accused also offered to become approvers in the case.
On April 10, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) extended the interim pre-arrest bail of Zardari and his sister Talpur till April 29 in the fake bank accounts and money laundering case.
A two-member IHC bench comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar heard the case and extended the pre-arrest bail of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders till April 29.
On March 28, an IHC division bench had approved the bail petitions of the former president and his sister, granting them pre-arrest bail till April 10.
The bench had also ordered the former president to submit bail bonds worth Rs1 million each on four of his petitions and accepted his request to submit a total of Rs4 million in the form of cash. Faryal Talpur had been directed to submit bail bonds worth Rs1 million.
The PPP leaders had approached the IHC seeking pre-arrest bail to avoid arrest in the fake bank accounts and money laundering case.
Earlier this month, a banking court in Karachi had ordered the transfer of the fake bank accounts and mega money laundering case to Islamabad.
This is pertinent to mention that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is investigating 32 people, including Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur in connection with money laundering through fake accounts.
Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July in connection with the probe.
Former president's other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani were also arrested by FIA in this connection.
