Sharjeel cleared as no trace of alcohol found in bottles, blood samples

KARACHI: A test report has found no trace of alcohol in the blood samples of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Memon.

Memon’s blood samples were sent to two hospitals for testing to determine whether the former provincial minister had consumed alcohol while under treatment at a private hospital.

According to the report, the blood samples did not contain traces of plasma alcohol and ethanol. Three other test reports were also found out to be normal.

However, the report states that the tests were only for medical purposes and cannot be used for any other purpose. Therefore, the test cannot be used for legal purposes and will likely not be sent to the Supreme Court.

A report by Chief Chemical Examiner Dr Zahid Ansari states that the bottles recovered from Memon’s room did not contain alcohol. One of the bottles contained honey and the other cooking oil.

The report has been sent to the Police Department, the Ministry of Information, and the government of SIndh. It may be mentioned that the blood samples were taken on September 1.

An investigation team was formed on Sunday to probe the discovery of liquor bottles from the room of a hospital where Memon was under treatment. Three people including his driver and two servants were also taken into custody.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday paid a surprise visit to Ziauddin Hospital where he found three bottles of liquor in the room of the incarcerated PPP leader.

Subsequently, Memon was shifted to Central Jail, Karachi and a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against him.

The investigation team has started to collect evidence. It has got hold of closed circuit television (CCTV) footage and records of Sharjeel’s visitors at the hospital.

The Boat Basin police registered the case against Memon, his driver and two servants under Section 4 (possessing or owing intoxicant) of the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order. 1979.

SSP South Omar Shahid Hamid had told media that bottles of liquor and other things were recovered from Memon’s room. They all will be sent to a forensic lab for chemical examination, he added.

He said the jail authorities will have to explain as to how these things got into the room. Hamid said CCTV footage and other evidence have been collected and added it was the responsibility of security guard to check the people visiting Sharjeel Memon.

It was reported that the bottles of alcohol seized from the PPP leader’s room were expensive and of foreign origin.

The Section 4 reads: “Whoever owns, possesses or keeps in his custody any intoxicant shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term, which may extend to two years, or with whipping not exceeding thirty stripes, and shall also be liable to fine.”