Corruption case: SHC grants Sharjeel Memon protective bail

The judge directed Memon to deposit his passport with the court’s nazir upon his return to the country

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) granted on Wednesday protective bail to Pakistan Peoples Party leader Sharjeel Inam Memon, who lives in self-exile in London, in a case relating to alleged illegal adjustment and consolidation of hundreds of acres of land in favour of a private housing project.

Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto granted him bail in sum of Rs2 million. However, he also directed the former provincial information minister to deposit his passport with the court’s nazir upon his return to the country. He has been granted bail till November 14.

Memon had approached the court through his lawyer, Faiz Shah, who informed the judges that the court had earlier granted protective bail to him in connection with an inquiry initiated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) regarding alleged corruption in awarding of contracts to run advertising campaigns in the media on behalf of the provincial government.

The lawyer said recently the petitioner had come to know that NAB authorities had initiated another inquiry against him and some officials of the provincial board of revenue to investigate allegations of illegal adjustments and consolidation of hundreds of acres of state land in favour of a private housing project.

In this connection, the bureau has also issued a call-up notice to the former minister, directing him to join the investigation. According to the bureau, the illegalities committed by the revenue officials in connivance with the petitioner caused huge losses to the national coffers.

The judges were informed that Memon is presently in London and wants to return to the country, but apprehends his arrest by NAB in connection with inquiries into the alleged offence - an allegation he denied.

Therefore, the court was pleaded to grant anticipative protective bail till November 29 to enable the petitioner to return to the country and join the investigation.

NAB prosecutor Noor Muhammad Dayo opposed the bail plea, arguing that earlier the court had also approved Memon’s protective bail on October 14 but Memon had yet to return and join investigations in that case. He argued that under the law, the petitioner cannot be granted protective bail for such a long period.

The judges observed the petitioner was granted protective bail on October 14 in another case with direction to surrender before the trial court, but he failed to return and join the probe.

The court clarified that the order of the bail will be effective till November 14.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2016.