‘Illegal’ reference : NAB chief directed to file comments

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) sought on Monday comments from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman on a petition challenging the institution of an alleged illegal graft reference.

A division bench, headed by Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh, directed for comments by April 7 while hearing a petition filed by a leather factory owner, Amjad Hussain, who approached the court to seek pre-arrest bail.

Hussain’s lawyer, Javed Chatari, said NAB had initiated an inquiry against the petitioner and five officers, including two additional directors and two superintendents of NAB. The bureau alleged that the officers processed bogus sales tax refund claims of Hussain, proprietor of Akhtar Brothers, to the tune of Rs4,374,792.

He alleged that the investigation officer filed a reference last year charge-sheeting the petitioner alone without mentioning the NAB officers, which shows the inquiry was fake.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th,  2016.