NAB chairman approves formal investigation against Sharjeel Memon

ISLAMABAD: The chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Justice (Retd.) Javed Iqbal, on Monday approved the initiation of a formal investigation against the former Sindh information minister Sharjeel Memon, ARY News reported.

NAB spokesperson confirmed that the anti-corruption watchdog will commence a formal probe into charges of assets beyond known sources and money laundering against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Memon.

The spokesperson detailed that the institution was proceeding an inquiry against the ex-minister prior to the approval of NAB chief for opening a formal investigation.

“Sharjeel Memon was involved in corruption of billions after misusing his powers as a minister and made various benami [undisclosed] properties by using names of his family members and employees,” he added.

The institution has also released details of Memon’s properties which revealed registration of 270 acres of agriculture on the name of his mother.

“The minister’s Rawal Farm House in Hyderabad worth Rs1 billion, whereas, a cotton factory worth more than Rs100 million was established in the same city.

“Memon had also laundered Rs1.08 billion money to a foreign country.”

“Moreover, the former Sindh information minister had purchased three plots worth Rs210 million on the name of his mother besides having several flats and villas registered under the name of his wife. He had also bought six plots using his employees’ names including personal secretary Izhar Hussain, driver Subhan and estate agent Agha Ehsan,” the spokesperson said.

The development came forth after a NAB team raided Rawal Farmhouse belonging to the leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Sharjeel Inam Memon situated near Tando Jam on July 1.

Government sources revealed that a farmhouse belonging to the former Sindh information minister, Sharjeel Memon, was raided and searched by the anti-corruption watchdog officials.

The NAB team has not sought any assistance of local police during the farmhouse’s raid, sources added.

Earlier on June 26, the Sindh High Court had granted interim bail to former minister of Sindh, Sharjeel Inam Memon in another reference.

A bench of the high court approved an interim pre-arrest bail of the PPP leader until August 6, in assets beyond known sources of income reference.

The former provincial information minister had been arrested by a team of the NAB in October 2017 after his bail was rejected by the Sindh High Court (SHC) in the corruption case.