Sindh High Court grants Sharjeel Memon bail

Court cancels arrest warrant for Memon issued in another inquiry

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) accepted on Tuesday the bail plea filed by former provincial minister Sharjeel Memon in the corruption reference of Rs5.76 billion in the information department and directed that he be placed on the Exit Control List. The court also issued notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for June 27 and cancelled the arrest warrant for Memon issued in another inquiry against him, pertaining to illegal assets.

A two-member bench comprising Justice KK Agha and Justice Omar Sial announced the verdict on Memon's bail plea, which had been reserved in the previous hearing, and directed him to submit a surety amount of Rs5 million. The same bench also heard the plea filed against the arrest warrant issued for Memon in an inquiry against him pertaining to illegal assets.

Barrister Khalid Javed Khan said that the inquiry pertaining to illegal assets was approved in December 2018. He argued that issuing the arrest warrant six months after approval of the inquiry showed mala fide intent. Khan maintained that the arrest warrant was issued right after the final arguments for bail were given.

The court cancelled the arrest warrant and restricted NAB from arresting him. The court also issued notices to NAB director-general and NAB prosecutor for June 27.

Prior to this, the SHC had twice rejected Memon's bail plea. There are 17 accused nominated in the corruption reference which is under trial in the accountability court.

Embezzlement in police funds

Meanwhile, the same bench sought NAB's arrest policy while hearing the bail pleas filed by former Sindh IGP Ghulam Haider Jamali, former AIG Tanveer Tahir and other accused in the corruption reference in Sindh police department.

According to NAB, the accused caused losses worth millions of rupees to the national treasury. Those accused of corruption in the Sindh police department include Tahir, Fida Hussain Shah, Kamran Rashid, former AIG Faisal Bashir Memon, Sarmad Midhat Hussain and Ali Asghar, among others. The reference was filed on the complaint of the controller general of accounts. The accused allegedly embezzled money from the police feeding fund and caused a loss to the national treasury. Salaries of police officials were also deducted while the accused allegedly gave contracts to people of their choice without tenders.