Zardari, Talpur’s judicial remand extended till October 22

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court (AC) has extended former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur’s judicial remand till 22nd October in fake accounts and Park Lane cases.

The two accused did not appear for the hearing in the ongoing money laundering case trial being overlooked by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The hearing was conducted by the accountability court judge Mohammad Bashir under strict security arrangements. He remarked that a course of action should be determined to avoid delay in proceedings.

The NAB Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar argued that a procedure was determined earlier as well, to which the judge replied that the number of suspects has now surged to 30 from 2.

Read Court allows Zardari to meet his lawyer in fake accounts case

Asif Zardari was arrested on June 10 for his alleged involvement in the money laundering case. Talpur was arrested after four days. They are being investigated in the Park Lane case too.

The money laundering case refers to the embezzlement of Rs4.4 billion. NAB has accused Zardari and Talpur of owning shares of the Zardari Group, a company that received some of the embezzled funds.

The Park Lane Estate, on the other hand, is a Karachi-based real estate firm. The NAB had initiated an inquiry against Zardari and his son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, on charges that they illegally transferred forest land to the firm in collaboration with some government officials.