Repeated order: SHC restrains NAB from arresting bureaucrats

Stops it from arresting former Sindh chief secretary and chief minister inspection team's chairperson

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) again restrained the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) authorities from arresting the former Sindh chief secretary, Ghulam Ali Shah Pasha, and chief minister inspection team chairperson Subhan Memon, in connection with an inquiry into an alleged land fraud scam.

A division bench, headed by Justice Sadiq Hussain Bhatti, also repeated its direction to the NAB officials to place on record details of charges against the two bureaucrats and documentary evidence by June 29.

The two bureaucrats had taken the chairperson, the provincial director-general of the NAB and the investigating officers to court. The petitioners submitted that, through media reports, they have come to know that NAB has initiated an inquiry against them for their alleged involvement in a land fraud case.

The petitioners claimed that they have no role in the alleged scam. They stated that they are even ready to face an inquiry if the authorities have any evidence to substantiate their claims.

The court was pleaded to grant pre-arrest bail to both the bureaucrats, who are ready to surrender before the trial court to join the proceedings initiated against them by NAB.

They requested the court to restrain the NAB authorities from arresting them in connection to the alleged inquiry. A direction was also sought for NAB to place on record details of the case and evidence, if any, against them.

Last week, the court barred NAB from arresting the petitioners with further direction to submit in court details of the cases against the bureaucrats.

During Monday's proceedings, the judges found that the comments of the Sindh director-general of NAB and the investigation officers were not filed despite issuance of the direction. Restraining the officials from arresting the petitioners till June 29, the bench directed them to submit comments by the next date of hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2015.