Fake accounts case: accountability court extends remand of accused

NAB informs accountability court bills of Naudero House issued in accused’s name

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Monday extended remand period of Nadeem Bhutto, the in-charge of Bhutto Family’s Naudero House. Nadeem is one of the accused in a multi-billion rupees fake bank accounts case in which top leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party are also implicated.

Earlier, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials brought Bhutto to the Accountability Court-II Judge Arshad Malik. NAB prosecutor appealed to the court to extend the remand period of the accused.

He said it was discovered during investigation that electricity and telephone bills of the Naudero House were issued in his name and he had been receiving money in his accounts since 2011.

“More investigation is required to find out uses of that money,” he said, requesting the court to further extend his remand period for 14 days.

The defence lawyer opposed NAB’s request and said his client had nothing to do with the fake accounts saga. “NAB has not given any strong reason for extension in the remand period,” he said.

Nadeem Bhutto once again pleaded that he was in-charge of the Bhutto House and distributed salaries among the employees. He said the former president and the PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari sent him money through the Omni Group.

“If the Omni Group used a fake account to send the money, it was not my fault or that of the former president,” h said.  After hearing arguments of both the sides, the court extended remand period of Bhutto till 20 May.