Remand of Anwar Majeed, other accused extended

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad has extended the judicial remand of Anwar Majeed, Abdul Ghani Majeed, Dawoodi Morkas and others in a case related to fake bank accounts on Monday. The court resumed the hearing of a corruption reference over subsidy of sugarcane against Anwar Majeed, Abdul Ghani Majeed, Dawoodi Morkas, Rashid Ahmed and others where the accused persons were produced. The judge questioned for the appearance of other accused persons. The lawyer representing National Accountability Bureau (NAB) replied that Khawaja Anwar Majeed is in Karachi under judicial custody, whereas, other accused persons were not traced out as their locations in foreign countries were not yet known. Defence lawyer said Anwar Majeed could not shift to Islamabad due to his severe ailment. NAB lawyer pleaded the court to summon medical report of Anwar Majeed from the jail authority. The court decided to direct the concerned institution to provide travel details of the accused persons left the country. The judge also ordered the jail superintendent to send medical reports of Anwar Majeed. Later, the court extended the judicial remand of the accused persons and adjourned the hearing till February 6. Earlier in November last year, the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) Rawalpindi chapter had formally named Khawaja Anwar Majeed, owner of the controversial Omni Group in a corruption reference. The reference is filed under charges of embezzlement of funds and corruption in subsidy awarded to sugar mills by the group. Subsidy awarded by the Sindh government was also meddled with and used for corrupt practices, claims the reference. An amount of Rs 3.9 billion were issued by the group in the name of Sugar mills, which was relayed under the signatures and watch of the Police commissioner Sindh at the time. The reference further claims that the investigations into the matter have revealed 8 sugar mills to be direct properties of Omni Group.