SC rejects Inam Akbar’s bail plea in govt ads case
Bench says accused main beneficiary of corruption of Rs5.76b
Supreme Court. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of advertising agency owner Inam Akbar who was named as one of the accused in a case pertaining to corruption in the awarding of Sindh government advertisements.
The three-member bench, comprising Justice Azmat Saeed, Justice Ijazul Hassan and Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel, contended that accused Inam Akbar, the chief executive of Midas Advertising, is a central character in corruption of Rs5.76 billion through illegal awarding of advertisement contracts on exorbitant prices.
The bench observed that the embezzled amount was transferred into Akbar’s account, thus ruling out the possibility of bail.
Akbar’s counsel Kamran Murtaza stated Akbar was one of the directors of the company, while three other accused in the case had been granted bail. Justice Hassan replied that Akbar was also the company’s chief executive along with being the director. “The ones who received bail were your frontmen, but you are the real owner of the company,” the judge added.
The bench observed that the company was not only overpaid but it also overbilled the government. The company received Rs200 million against a bill of Rs44 million and the entire amount was transferred into the personal bank account of Inam Akbar, it stated.
Counsel Murtaza, in his arguments, said that the case has 52 witnesses and the trial has not commenced as yet while his client has been in jail for over a year. He also cited his client’s medical condition, including cardiac trouble, asking the court to consider the bail plea due to illness.
While telling the lawyer to prepare to fight the case in the trial court, Justice Azmat Saeed said that if a separate request was filed regarding illness, the court would consider it then.
Justice Hassan remarked the accused was trying to hoodwink the legal system, getting himself shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre hospital on the pretext of health while enjoying facilities there. He added that the Sindh High Court had ordered an inquiry into Akbar’s conduct.
After the dismissal of the bail plea, Akbar’s lawyer requested the court to grant permission to take back the case at this stage, so that a new request could be filed on medical grounds.
Justice Saeed said that the accused could file the plea on any new ground but the court could not write medical ground in its current order. After that, the court dismissed the bail plea.
During the course of proceedings, Advocate Murtaza said he wanted to withdraw his client's bail plea against the interim order of the Lahore High Court. He said the LHC has announced the verdict upon which the apex court allowed the petitioner to withdraw his petition.
The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of advertising agency owner Inam Akbar who was named as one of the accused in a case pertaining to corruption in the awarding of Sindh government advertisements.
The three-member bench, comprising Justice Azmat Saeed, Justice Ijazul Hassan and Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel, contended that accused Inam Akbar, the chief executive of Midas Advertising, is a central character in corruption of Rs5.76 billion through illegal awarding of advertisement contracts on exorbitant prices.
The bench observed that the embezzled amount was transferred into Akbar’s account, thus ruling out the possibility of bail.
Akbar’s counsel Kamran Murtaza stated Akbar was one of the directors of the company, while three other accused in the case had been granted bail. Justice Hassan replied that Akbar was also the company’s chief executive along with being the director. “The ones who received bail were your frontmen, but you are the real owner of the company,” the judge added.
The bench observed that the company was not only overpaid but it also overbilled the government. The company received Rs200 million against a bill of Rs44 million and the entire amount was transferred into the personal bank account of Inam Akbar, it stated.
Counsel Murtaza, in his arguments, said that the case has 52 witnesses and the trial has not commenced as yet while his client has been in jail for over a year. He also cited his client’s medical condition, including cardiac trouble, asking the court to consider the bail plea due to illness.
While telling the lawyer to prepare to fight the case in the trial court, Justice Azmat Saeed said that if a separate request was filed regarding illness, the court would consider it then.
Justice Hassan remarked the accused was trying to hoodwink the legal system, getting himself shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre hospital on the pretext of health while enjoying facilities there. He added that the Sindh High Court had ordered an inquiry into Akbar’s conduct.
After the dismissal of the bail plea, Akbar’s lawyer requested the court to grant permission to take back the case at this stage, so that a new request could be filed on medical grounds.
Justice Saeed said that the accused could file the plea on any new ground but the court could not write medical ground in its current order. After that, the court dismissed the bail plea.
During the course of proceedings, Advocate Murtaza said he wanted to withdraw his client's bail plea against the interim order of the Lahore High Court. He said the LHC has announced the verdict upon which the apex court allowed the petitioner to withdraw his petition.