Court orders arresting absconders in Agha Siraj Durrani assets' case

KARACHI: An accountability court in Karachi on Tuesday directed the concerned authorities to arrest proclaimed offenders in Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani’s assets beyond income reference, ARY News reported.

The court held the hearing of the assets beyond known sources reference against the Speaker Sindh Assembly where Durrani and other accused persons were produced.

The judge questioned the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to tell the status of arresting other accused in the case.

NAB prosecutor told court that the institution will ask Sukkur police to take action in this regards. The judge expressed outrage over the reply, said that the court wants a report from the investigation officer but not the police forces.

Read: NAB approves inquiries against Hina Rabbani, Shujaat, Elahi, others

The judge said that the court is not giving a final deadline for action against the absconding persons, otherwise, the investigation officer will be sent behind bars and the case will be separated from the assets’ reference if the arrests were not made till the next hearing.

Later, the accountability court re-issued arrest warrants of the proclaimed offenders which include Agha Siraj Durrani sons, daughters, wife and others. The hearing was adjourned till November 5.

In the previous hearing held on October 12, the court had issued arrest warrants of family members of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in assets beyond means reference.

The arrest warrants had been issued against Siraj Durrani’s wife, Naheed Durrani, son Agha Shehbaz Ali Khan Durrani, daughters Sanam Durrani, Sara Durrani, Shabana Durrani and Sonia Durrani.

Read: Assets case hearing against Durrani adjourned till Sept 04

The prosecutor of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) informed the court that the family members of Agha Siraj Durrani have gone to the United States. The frontmen and other accused have also escaped, the prosecutor said.

The learned Judge issued orders for arresting the absconders and blocking their national identity cards (NICs). He also ordered the investigation officer to submit his progress report of the case on October 22.

Agha Siraj Durrani, upon his arrival, replied to the journalists when questioned regarding the election defeat of his political party, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), in Larkana, saying that he was completely unaware of the development due to being jailed. The speaker added that he would give ‘some good news’ after being out of prison now.

Read: Court issues arrest warrants of Siraj Durrani’s family members in assets case

Background

Speaker Sindh Assembly had been nabbed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on February 20 in a case pertaining to assets beyond known income.

On July 20 last year, the anti-corruption body had ordered an inquiry on charges of corruption against the Sindh Assembly speaker.

According to a NAB statement, three separate inquiries were initiated against Durrani.

One inquiry pertains to allegations of accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income by the PPP leader, while the second pertains to illegal appointments of 352 on government posts.