NBW issued for Sharjeel Memon’s arrest

Former information minister’s bail expired and he has not surrendered to the court

KARACHI: An accountability court issued again on Saturday non-bailable warrants of arrest for a former Sindh information minister allegedly involved in a Rs5billion graft case.

The warrants were issued after Sharjeel Inam Memon, a provincial leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, failed to surrender before the trial court during the time allowed by the Sindh High Court while granting him protective bail.

His lawyer, Amir Raza Naqvi, pleaded before the judge on his behalf that he was hospitalised, which is why he could not make it to court. He wants to come back to the country and contest the charges against him, added the lawyer.

The SHC granted protective bail to him, which expired on December 26. He had moved a plea seeking extension in his bail, however, the matter still stands undecided.

The prosecution lawyer argued that since Memon was left with no legal injunction that could prevent his arrest at the hands of the authorities, warrants for his arrest should be issued.

The accountability court-IV judge issued non-bailable warrants of arrest for Memon once again and adjourned the hearing till January 14. Meanwhile, the appellate court is likely to take up his protective bail extension matter on January 10.

The National Accountability Bureau has filed a reference against Memon and 16 others, including former information department officials and directors of some private advertisement agencies, for allegedly embezzling Rs5.76 billion from the national exchequer.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2017.