LHC orders Mian Mansha to join NAB money laundering probe

LAHORE: A bench of Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday ordered business tycoon Mian Muhammad Mansha to join the NAB investigation pertaining to money laundering, ARY News reported.

The court disagreed with a plea of Mian Mansha to set aside the notices being issued by the NAB to the petitioner and also the inquiry proceedings against him for being unlawful.

The anti-graft watchdog served notices on Mian Muhammad Mansha and his son to appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in person and record their statements. NAB was probing the source of transfer of funds to England to buy a hotel.

Purportedly, Mr Mansha had bought a multi-billion dollar Saint James Hotel and Club in 2010 in London.

The counsel of Mian Mansha questioned the jurisdiction of the NAB to initiate investigation against the petitioner under Section 19 of its ordinance. He stated that the subject of money laundering did not fall within the jurisdiction of the NAB.

A NAB lawyer argued that the plea was premature as the inquiry against the petitioner was on initial stage.

Mian Mansha’s counsel pointed out that the NAB had been making arrests during the stage of inquiry.

The NAB’s counsel said the petitioner could secure bail before arrest from the court if he had apprehensions of his arrest.

The bench headed by Justice Malik Shahzad directed the petitioner to join the inquiry. The bench also directed the NAB to file a written reply on the matter by March 25.