Sharjeel Memon seeks pre-arrest bail from SHC

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former Sindh minister Sharjeel Memon has filed bail petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC), fearing his arrest after opening new inquiries against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), ARY News reported on Friday.

Sharjeel Memon, in his petition, stated that two references are already under proceedings again him and it came into his knowledge that the anti-corruption watchdog is now holding a secret inquiry. The petition read that the petitioner has no details regarding the latest inquiry.

The PPP leader sought SHC to order NAB for providing the details of the inquiries and stop the authorities from arresting him in the next hearing. He also pleaded the SHC to get records of the secret inquiry in the next hearing.

Later, the court approved his bail petition and ordered concerned authorities not to arrest Memon until January 24.

On December 7, an accountability court had summoned former Sindh minister Sharjeel Memon’s wife and other proclaimed offenders in assets reference hearing.

The court summoned Sadaf Sharjeel and other co-accused on December 21.

Read: Family members of Sharjeel Memon seek pre-arrest bail from SHC

Counsel informed the court that the wife of Sharjeel Memon was presently staying in Dubai. Sindh High Court has issued stay order and suspended warrants against Sadaf Sharjeel and other co-accused, he said. They will appear in the high court on December 14.

Earlier, the accountability court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants of Mrs. Sadaf Sharjeel and other accused.

Sharjeel Memon’s wife and mother Zeenat Inaam Memon have been among the co-accused in the assets beyond means NAB reference.

The corruption reference stated that the investigators have found solid evidence of financial irregularities against Sharjeel Memon, his wife and other accused persons.

Read: NAB executive board approves references against Sharjeel Memon, others

The co-accused also included Zeeshan, Izhar Hussain, Muhammad Sohail, Saifullah Lohar, Agha Ahsan, Shaukat Ali Thebo, Waseem Akhtar Thebo and Kamran Gul.

The reference also stated presence of records, which confirm charges of making assets beyond known sources of income by the suspects. The accused persons are facing over Rs2.27 billion corruption charges.

Another reference against Memon is also under proceeding over his alleged involvement in corruption worth Rs5.75 billion.

Memon is accused of awarding government advertisements at exorbitant rates when he was Sindh’s information minister. He was arrested by the accountability bureau in 2017 and remained in jail for 20 months. He is currently out of jail after the court granted him bail.