Lahore: A special court in Lahore on Monday acquitted all the other accused including Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s son Suleman Shahbaz in the Rs 16 billion money laundering case filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
The court’s orders came after hearing pleas filed by Suleman and others seeking acquittal in the case. During the hearing, the Prime Minister’s son was present in the court room along with his lawyer Advocate Amjad Parvez.
Suleman returned to Pakistan in December last year after completing four years of self-imposed exile in London. He was not only an accused in the said case but was also named in the asset reference. He was also declared an advertiser in both the cases.
Before his arrival, the Islamabad High Court restrained both FIA and NAB from arresting him.
The FIA cleared him in the Sugar Mills case this January, citing lack of evidence.Meanwhile, FIA has submitted the answers to 27 questions related to the case in the court.
Judge Bakht Fakhr Behzad inquired about the persons involved in the investigation of the money laundering case. The FIA counsel told the court that the inquiry was conducted by a joint investigation team headed by late FIA official Dr Muhammad Rizwan.
When the judge questioned whether the FIA had recorded the statement of any witness during the entire investigation, the agency’s investigating officer remained silent.
When asked by the court whether any action was taken against those who changed their statements during the inquiry, the FIA official replied in the negative.
The judge further said, “Is there any evidence in the seven volumes of FIA’s evidence?” “Tell me straight, don’t make up stories, I have read it all, I will now send all the FIA people to jail, remember this, I want an answer, what was the evidence of guilt with the challan?”
Suleman’s lawyer maintained that the case was baseless and had spoken against it. The court asked under whose pressure was the case registered?
The prosecutor said that there was no direct evidence and in light of the form used to open the account Suleman Shehbaz was accused.
The court questioned the FIA official about having the authority to investigate the case. He replied that the inquiry was conducted under the Money Laundering Act.
The court asked him whether any organization had given him any complaint regarding the remittance. The prosecutor said the FIA has powers to investigate money laundering.
A former FIA official said the agency acted in the light of the Sugar Inquiry Commission.
When the court asked about the number of sugar mills involved in the case, the former FIA officer said that an inquiry has been made against all the sugar mills of Pakistan. He further said that the former federal government had asked for action against the sugar mills of Jahangir Tareen, Khusro family and Sharif family.
The court asked what action was taken against the Khusrau family and Jahangir Tareen. The former FIA officer said that he is not investigating these cases and therefore cannot tell.
Later, the court acquitted all the accused including Suleman in the money laundering case.
Speaking to the media outside the court, the prime minister’s son said that the case continued for seven years. “Thanks to Allah that the facts came before the people, today we were acquitted by the grace of Allah.”
