ACE not seeking Sana's arrest after land case U-turn

Judge says court has become a tool politicians use instead of 'fighting their own battles'

ISLAMABAD:

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) took a U-turn in a land scandal case against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Friday and told the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench that it does not want the arrest of Sanaullah.

Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan heard the case where the anti-corruption department team, lawyers as well as the minister and his legal team appeared before the bench amid strict security arrangements.

The court inquired whether the case was registered directly or on the source report, to which the ACE investigating officer replied that the case was registered on the report made by Inquiry Deputy Director Abdul Rahman.

The court said that it would follow the Moonis Elahi money laundering case on the matter.

It added that if the ACE makes a statement that Rana Sanaullah should not be arrested, then the case will be immediately closed, otherwise, the anti-corruption department will have to provide the court with answers.

"I will see how you can stay as DG after making a false statement," Justice Sadaqat remarked, adding that the court had become a tool politicians use instead of "fighting their own battles".

The ACE told the court that it did not want the arrest of Sanaullah, to which the judge remarked with a smirk that "you solved this matter easily".

The court said that it will issue the challan according to the law, which will include the interior minister's name.

Subsequently, the LHC Rawalpindi Bench disposed of the petition filed by the anti-corruption department.

Last week, Sanauallah had challenged the issuance of his arrest warrant in a case registered by the ACE pertaining to an alleged land scam. The appeal was heard by LHC Rawalpindi Bench Judge Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan.