LAHORE: The judge of the special court of Lahore has said that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) failed to prove Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz as beneficiaries of benami bank accounts.
In his 33-page judgment, Judge Special Court (Central I) Ijaz Hasan Awan observed that the prosecution had failed to bring any evidence on record to show that any of the petitioners had access to the alleged benami accounts. There was a mandate to run.
The verdict was issued a day after the judge acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz and former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz in a Rs 16 billion money laundering case.
He said that there is no evidence on record to show any nexus between the petitioners and the opening or operation of any account or that any money was ever transferred to or from any account of the petitioners.
The judge says there is ‘no chance of conviction’ even if the case has gone through.
The record is silent as to the petitioners or their beneficial interest in respect of the alleged benami accounts.
Judge Awan wrote in the judgment that none of the 66 witnesses presented by the prosecution proved the petitioners had any connection with the accounts.
He added that even if the evidence collected during the investigation is allowed to be recorded, there is no chance of conviction.
The judge also noted in the judgment that the bankers, who were made part of the investigation at one stage, were later cleared during the investigation as there was no evidence that they knowingly and voluntarily Helped or assisted in opening accounts. Used for money laundering.
He further said that in the FIR, the total amount deposited in benami accounts has been shown to be 26 billion rupees. However, the amount in the challan was reduced to 16 billion rupees.
The judge said the prosecution also failed to prove the allegation that the petitioners received “illegal gratification, kickbacks or any penalty money”. He said that the pleas for acquittal were granted as no basis was found to prosecute the petitioners.
The FIA ​​had registered a case against Nawaz Sharif and his two sons Hamza and Sulaiman Shehbaz in November 2020 under sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and 109 of the Anti-Corruption Act, which is a section of the Anti-Money Laundering Act. 3/4 were read with. .
Mr. Suleiman and another co-suspect were declared guilty by the court for their continued absence from the proceedings.
In September, Mr. Sharif and Mr. Hamza had filed acquittal pleas under Section 265 (K) of the Cr.P.C., which was allowed by the judge on Wednesday.
