FIA submits account ‘details’ of Shehbaz, sons to court

Agency says it had given several chances to PML-N leader, his sons but they were unable to satisfy investigation team

LAHORE:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Tuesday submitted documents to a court that showed a sum of Rs16.34 billion was deposited in PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and his sons’ accounts through benami sources.

The documents allegedly carry details of 45 accounts of the opposition leader in the National Assembly and his sons, Hamza and Suleman in the money laundering case.

The FIA said it had given several opportunities to Shehbaz and his sons but they could not satisfy the investigation team on the allegations against them.

According to the documents, 14 bank accounts were registered in the name of Shehbaz, including 10 at the same branch from 2008 to 2018.

The documents further stated from 2005 to 2018, 13 bank accounts were opened in the name of Hamza Shehbaz.

Similarly, 18 bank accounts were opened in the name of Suleman Shehbaz from 2004 to 2018.

The FIA contended that any government official or public-office holder was bound to respond to their movable and immovable properties and assets.

It added that they were responsible for sharing details of when and how they amass the assets.

The agency contended that the accused could face up to seven years in prison, fine and confiscation of property if convicted.

The FIA had recently submitted a challan against the PML-N president and Hamza to a special court for their alleged involvement in laundering an amount of Rs16 billion in the sugar scam case.

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“The investigation team has detected 28 benami accounts of the Shehbaz family through which money laundering of Rs16.3bn was committed during 2008-18. The FIA examined the money trail of 17,000 credit transactions,” read an agency report.

The amount was kept in “hidden accounts” and given to Shehbaz in a personal capacity, the report added.

The FIA alleged that this amount of Rs16 billion had nothing to do with the sugar business of the Shehbaz family.

“The money received from the accounts of low-wage employees by Shehbaz was transferred outside Pakistan via hundi/hawala networks, ultimately destined for beneficial use of his family members.”

The FIA has nominated Shehbaz and his sons — Hamza and Suleman — as the principal accused in the case. Fourteen others have been named in the FIR under sections 5(2) and 5(3) (criminal misconduct) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, read with 3/4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

“Eleven low-paid employees of the Sharif group who ‘held and possessed’ the laundered proceeds on behalf of the principal accused, are found guilty of facilitating money laundering. The three other co-accused of the Sharif group also actively facilitated the money laundering,” the FIA said.