The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday extended the interim pre-arrest bail granted to former provincial information minister Sharjeel Inam Memon and others in Rs 5.76 billion corruption case. Memon's bail confirmation plea and non-bail-able warrant challenging application was scheduled before a division bench but it could not hear it as the chief justice discharged the board owing to the death of a senior lawyer Nawaz Khan. The hearings of all cases were adjourned; however, the judges heard important cases in their chambers.

Earlier, Memon had moved the SHC, requesting it to quash NBW issued by accountability court in October 2016 in graft case pertaining to award of advertisements at exorbitant rates. His counsel had submitted that his NBW was still valid despite the fact that his bail confirmation application was still pending before SHC. The court was also requested to form a special bench to hear Memon's pleas.

Earlier, on March 30 this year, the SHC had approved Memon's pre-arrest bail in Rs 5.76 billion corruption reference and land allotment inquiry against the surety bonds of Rs 2 million in each case. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference against PPP lawmaker for allegedly causing Rs 5.76billion loss to the national exchequer through the embezzlement in the Sindh government's advertisement campaign on electronic media.

The Bureau had also issued him a call-up notice for his appearance before the investigating officer pertaining to allotted and adjusted land in 43 Dehs at throw-away prices for a real estate tycoon, depriving the public exchequer of billions of rupees in revenue. On the other hand, Memon had denied the charges and maintained that several fabricated and false cases were instituted by the NAB against him on political basis. According to his, NAB had filed reference against him without giving him an opportunity of fair hearing.

Copyright Pakistan Press International, 2017