NAB decides to form JIT to probe fake accounts case

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) announced on Tuesday it has decided to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the long-running fake bank accounts case.

The JIT will be headed by Director General NAB Rawalpindi Irfan Mangi and overseen by NAB chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, the anti-corruption watchdog said in a press release. 

The decision to constitute the JIT was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by the NAB chairman. 

Moreover, the press release said the investigative team has begun its probe into the mega case.

“Investigation will be done in the light of Supreme Court’s judgement and evidence,” it said. “NAB believes in taking the case to its logical conclusion after a transparent probe. Media should refrain from speculation,” it added.

On January 7, the apex court ordered NAB to initiate a fresh inquiry into the money laundering and fake bank accounts case.

The Federal Investigation Agency is investigating 32 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including former president Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur. Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July in connection with the probe.

The former president’s other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son, Abdul Ghani, were arrested by FIA in August.

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 sources.

The amount, according to FIA sources, is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.