SHC hears bail petition of Agha Siraj's brother

KARACHI: A bench of Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday while hearing bail petition of Agha Siraj Durrani’s brother, Agha Massihuddin Durrani, ordered the NAB officials to appear with case record in the next hearing of the case, ARY News reported.

The investigation officer of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a question of the bench informed that the accused have illegally allotted the state land.

The court expressed resentment over absence of the case record with the NAB investigation officer. “Keep your record, if you people intrude in people’s homes,” the judges said. “If you have raided the house and made recovery, then where is the relevant record? the bench questioned the IO. “You will be definitely unaware about the recovery memo,” the bench remarked. “What is your name? ” My name is Asif Raza and I am an investigation officer,” the NAB official replied.

The NAB officials have taken the national identity card of a domestic servant of Agha Siraj in their possession, the counsel told the court.

The court expressed its anger and asked the NAB official who have told you to keep the identity cards of people in your possession. “Under which law you can keep the identity card of someone,” the judges inquired the NAB officer.

The court directed NAB authorities for an early completion of the inquiry to file a reference, the bench also ordered the Director NAB and the case officer to appear with record before the court in the next hearing.

The bench adjourned hearing of the case till April 24.

The high court had earlier granted protective pre-arrest bail to Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani’s brother Agha Massihuddin Durrani in the ongoing inquiry against the speaker by the National Accountability Bureau.

Agha Massihuddin Durrani had approached the court for obtaining protective pre-arrest bail after receiving a call- up notice from NAB. The petitioner’s counsel submitted that NAB had called the petitioner in connection with a pending inquiry against the provincial assembly’s speaker on March 5 and he expressed apprehension about his arrest.

The petitioner willing to cooperate with NAB sought protective pre-arrest bail. The court, granting protective pre-arrest bail, issued notices to the bureau and others and called their comments in the next hearing.

The NAB had arrested Agha Siraj Durrani from Islamabad on Feb 20 over an inquiry into his assets.