SHC seeks NAB document on closure of inquiry against former CMIT chairperson

Court extends interim bail of Abdus Subhan Memon

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Wednesday the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigators to submit a formal report on the closure of the inquiry related to a land scam against former chairperson of Chief Minister Inspection Team (CMIT) Abdus Subhan Memon.

A division bench, headed by SHC Chief Justice (CJ) Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, sought the report by December 13. Till then, the interim pre-arrest bail granted earlier to the bureaucrat was extended.

Memon had approached the high court in June 2015, seeking pre-arrest bail as he apprehended his arrest by the national anti-graft watchdog.

In his plea, Memon had stated that he was a grade 21 officer and at that time working as the chairperson of the CMIT. He alleged that the NAB officials were harassing him in a case relating to the allotment of land in Jamshoro when he was a member of the land utilisation department.

His lawyer, Dilbar Khan, had argued that the petition may be converted into a pre-arrest bail application and his client may be granted bail to avoid his arrest by NAB.



Taking up the plea on Wednesday, the judges inquired from the NAB investigation officer about the progress in inquiry initiated against Memon. The investigation officer informed the SHC that the inquiry had been completed and no credible evidence had been found against the petitioner and co-accused. A summary had been sent to the NAB chairperson for approving the closure of the inquiry against the petitioner and the chairperson's approval was being awaited, the bench was informed.

Justice Karim Khan Agha, bench member, recalled that the investigation officer had earlier informed the court that the inquiry against the petitioners was under way, but now in the stark contrast to his previous claim, the officer claimed that the inquiry was being closed down.

The NAB officer could not present any document before the court about the decision of closing the inquiry against Memon and other co-accused. Therefore, the judges directed him to submit in writing that the inquiry against the petitioner and the co-accused was ended.

The investigation officer sought time from the court, which was granted till December 13. Till then, the court extended interim bail granted to Memon and others.



Former secretary's bail plea

The same bench, meanwhile, directed the NAB prosecutor and the lawyer of former excise and taxation secretary Badar Jamil Mandhro to present their arguments on the former secretary's bail plea in connection with an illegal land allotment scam.

Mandhro had approached the court against alleged harassment by the federal anti-graft watchdog in connection with the inquiry into an alleged illegal sale of women development department's land at throwaway prices. He later obtained pre-arrest bail from the court.

NAB alleged that Mandhro was involved in the illegal sale of land, which caused huge losses to the national exchequer. Claiming that ample evidence was available to prove his involvement in the scam, the NAB investigator had previously pleaded to the court to dismiss the former secretary's bail, as he was not entitled to such legal remedy.



The NAB investigator informed the judges that an interim reference had already been filed against the accused involved in the scam. However, the court's restraining order against Mandhro's arrest was causing delays in trial proceedings before the accountability court concerned.

Filing a reply to NAB's report, Mandhro's lawyer refuted the allegations leveled by the anti-graft watchdog against the petitioner and pleaded to the court to confirm his interim bail.

However, the judges directed the NAB prosecutor and the petitioner's lawyer to advance arguments on the matter on the next date of the hearing.