Sindh High Court. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) extended on Tuesday the interim bail of a former secretary of the provincial religious affairs department, Badar Jameel Mendhro. The court also expressed displeasure over his absence during the hearing of his bail application in connection with corruption inquiries against him.
A two-judge bench, headed by SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh, extended Mendhro's interim bail till July 20 and directed him to appear in court on the next hearing date.
At the outset of the hearing, the chief justice expressed his displeasure over the petitioner's conduct and inquired from his lawyer, Shaukat Hayat, why he was absent after he had availed the legal remedy of pre-arrest bail.
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The lawyer informed the SHC that the petitioner had gone abroad for training, which is why he was unable to appear in court. The court was requested to exempt Mendhro from personal appearance in the court for one day.
The former secretary had earlier obtained a pre-arrest bail due to an inquiry into the alleged illegal appointments during his tenure as the secretary of the religious affairs department.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had issued him a call-up notice to appear for investigation in connection with alleged fake appointments in grades 17 and 18 in 2012.
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Taking exception to his absence, the bench directed Mendhro to appear in court on July 20.
Meanwhile, the NAB prosecutor requested the court to grant more time to file comments regarding inquiries initiated against the petitioner.
The bench asked the NAB prosecutor to file comments by July 20. Till then, it extended the interim bail of Mendhro.
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