SC hears NAB's plea against bails in Karachi China Cutting case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed resentment over the performance of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), ARY News reported.

A bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial was hearing the case pertaining to China Cutting in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

The National Accountability Bureau has challenged bail granted to eight accused of the case by the Sindh High Court, in the apex court.

“The material against the accused not reviewed before granting bail to them,” NAB prosecutor said.

“The NAB has included 93 witnesses in the reference, why statements of few of them have been recorded since 2017,” Justice Ayisha Malik asked.

“The accused have been granted bail after two years of their arrest,” Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said. “The court have also to take care of hardships of the imprisoned people,” the chief justice said.

“The court should order the trial court for an early completion of the case proceedings,” NAB prosecutor said. “The National Accountability Bureau should speed up its approach in graft cases,” Chief Justice Bandial remarked. “The NAB should give a written application if having complaint against the presiding judicial officer,” the CJP said.

“The accused have been awarded bail after two years, how can we cancel it,” the chief justice asked. “We knew the performance of the National Accountability Bureau,” he further said.

The bench directed the National Accountability Bureau to submit the case documents in court.