The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued notices to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the deputy attorney general on the plea of former provincial information minister Sharjeel Inam Memon for urgent hearing of his two applications seeking extension in his pre-arrest bails in two corruption cases.
The PPP leader, who is living aboard in self-exile, is facing two corruption charges relating to alleged award of advertisements at exorbitant rates and illegal adjustment and consolidation of hundreds of acres of land in favor of a private housing project. He had obtained protective bails in both the cases but the bail period has already been expired.
Memon's counsel Faiz Shah in his urgent application submitted that the ex minister could not be surrendered before the court owing to his ailment. He added that his client wanted to contest the corruption charges labelled against him but cannot travel due to his bad health. The court was requested to extend the period of Memon's bail for four weeks on medical grounds.
A two-member bench, headed by Justice Syed Muhammad Farooq Shah, directed the NAB's prosecutor and the federal law officer directing them to file their respective comments by February 24. The PPP leader has been booked by the NAB on charges of corruption in the award of advertisements at exorbitant rates, causing loss of Rs 5.76 billion to the national exchequer. The officials of a private advertising agency, Inam Akbar, Riaz Munir, Muhammad Hanif, Asim Amir Khan Sikandar and others were also nominated as the accused persons in the reference.
Beside corruption charges in information department, Memon is also being investigated by the NAB into alleged illegal allotment and adjustment of land in 43 Dehs of Malir in favor of 'Bahria Town' scheme. Memon's lawyer however, had totally difference stance as according to him the NAB had filed reference against Memon without giving him an opportunity of fair hearing. He denied the allegations of Memon's involvement in the cases and said that his client wanted to face corruption charges and surrender before the trial court. Faiz Shah had contended that the NAB had initiated inquiries against Memon and in this connection, the bureau had also issued call-up notices to him for his appearance before the investigating officer but due to his ailment he could not show up.
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