A prosecution witness Wednesday told the Accountability Court hearing a corruption reference against former finance minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar that the two of the co-accused have no link with Dar's accounts in the interim reference.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Investigation Officer and prosecution witness Nadir Abbas while testifying before Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir said that the co-accused Mansoor Raza Rizvi and Naeem Mehmood, who were nominated in the supplementary reference, have no link with Dar's bank accounts in the interim reference.

The investigation officer during the cross-examination by the defense counsel Qazi Misbahul Hassan said that he had found no record in the joint investigation team (JIT) report that probed Panama Papers case, against the co-accused.

The anti-graft body filed a supplementary reference against Dar on February 26 last year. The reference comprises seven volumes and includes 24 witnesses and three co-accused namely former president of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Saeed Ahmed, Mansoor Raza Rizvi and Naeem Mehmood, both directors of Dar's companies.

The two co-accused Rizvi and Mehmood were present in the courtroom during the hearing while Ahmed filed an application seeking exemption from personal appearance before the court which the court approved.

The investigation officer further said that no link of the co-accused has been established with Dar's foreign assets.

The defense counsel asked the investigation officer if he has investigated the person in whose account Rs 2,048,000 had been transferred.

The investigation officer replied that this section was not part of his investigations and it is a part of the JIT report.

Prosecutor NAB Afzal Qureshi while objecting to the question asked by defense counsel said how the counsel of co-accused can ask question about an accused that has been declared a proclaimed offender.

During the previous hearings, the NAB produced details of 15 bank accounts of Dar, his wife and his companies before the court. According to the NAB, Dar opened three bank accounts in his name while three others are held by his company, Hajveri Holdings (PVT) Limited.

The court adjourned the hearing of the case till November 27 and the defense counsel would continue cross-examination of the investigation officer on the next hearing.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019