Corruption reference: Court reserves verdict on PPP MPA's bail plea

Petitioner argues that NAB made a fake letter for the investigation

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) reserved the verdict on former Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Babul Bhayo's bail plea.

A two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice (CJ) Ahmed Ali Sheikh and Justice Omar Sial, was hearing the case in which the petitioner's counsel argued that his client had been trapped without any reason and so his bail plea should be accepted.

The officer of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) made a fake letter regarding Bhayo, the counsel claimed, adding that the inquiry in which the fake letter was issued was itself a suspicious inquiry, and his client kept records of everything.

The CJ remarked that everyone knew how the landlords of Sindh keep records. Millions of rupees keep transferring from the accounts of their drivers, said the CJ.

The court asked NAB's investigation officer why the NAB was only investigating one landlord, leaving 712 other landlords of Shikarpur.

The NAB officer informed that Bhayo's drivers, Maqsood Bhayo and Afzal Bhayo, were also nominated in the reference. Both of them were currently at large.

Illegal transactions have been made through the accused's accounts. The accused have allegedly been involved in the corruption of more than Rs40 million.

Illegal allotment of land

The same bench ordered the NAB to complete the inquiry related to the illegal allotment of 36 acres of land in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Scheme 36.



The investigation officer of NAB informed the court that the inquiry against accused Munawar Sultan and Sikandar Ali Qureshi was under way. The accused were involved in the illegal allotment of 36 acres of land and had caused a loss of Rs10m to the national exchequer. The officer asked for three months' time to file the reference.

The court rejected the investigation officer's request and ordered him to complete the inquiry in a month and submit a report. Court also ordered the petitioner's counsel to appear with complete preparation on the next hearing and adjourned the hearing till February 27.

Money laundering case

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) opposed the bail pleas filed by Asif Ali Zardari's close accomplices, Hussain Lavai and Taha Raza, in the money laundering case.

A two-member bench of the SHC, comprising Justice Aftab Ghorar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito, ordered the FIA to submit progress report related to transferring the investigations of the case to NAB.

FIA's investigation officer informed that the investigations were being transferred to NAB, therefore the bails should not be granted at this stage. The court asked how much time would be required for the transfer.

The officer said that approval had been granted in a meeting headed by the NAB Chairman and all the documents will be transferred from FIA to NAB within a week.

Counsels of the accused argued that FIA will be presenting the final challan of the case in a banking court. The accused should be released on bail till then. The investigation officer said that the bails of the accused will affect the case negatively.

Hence, the court ordered FIA to submit a progress report related to transferring the investigations of the money laundering case to NAB and adjourned the hearing till February 8.

Imran Farooq murder

The SHC issued notice to the petitioner over the plea filed against the arrest of primary accused Khalid Shamim in the murder case of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) senior leader Imran Farooq.

A two-member bench heard the plea filed against the arrest of Shamim. The court adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period due to the absence of the petitioner.

Shamim's arrest by the FIA was challenged by his wife who, along with her counsel Johar Abid, hasn't appeared in court since 2017.

According to FIA, Shamim was in FIA's custody in a high-profile case, therefore the plea against the arrest should be rejected since it was not valid.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2019.