Thursday, March 28, 2024

NAB challenges bail of Khursheed Shah’s family members in SC

NAB challenges bail of Khursheed Shah’s family members in SC
May 13, 2020
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approached Supreme Court (SC) to challenge bail of Khursheed Shah’s family members, provincial ministers Awais Qadir and other accused. The anti-corruption watchdog has challenged the bail granted to Khursheed Shah’s two wives and other accused in the asset beyond means case. The bureau has appealed to the court to cancel the bails granted to all the accused in the case and declare Sindh High Court’s April 22 decision as null and void. NAB has also alleged that the SHC in its decision ignored the rules issued by the Supreme Court. The watchdog further said that Khurshid Shah and his family failed to provide source of $84,000 and Rs370 million present in their bank accounts. NAB had arrested Khursheed Shah last year after the bureau alleged that he had acquired assets worth an estimated Rs700 million via his frontmen through ill-gotten money. NAB's top officials probing the matter claimed to acquire several important records/files from Sukkur district administration, where revenue officers shared important details, which led ultimately to Shah's arrest from Islamabad in September 2019. Earlier, SHC turned down the bail plea of Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Khursheed Shah in assets case. Two-member special bench of the SHC Sukkur division headed by Justice Shams-u-ddin Abbasi announced a reserved verdict. The court rejected the bail plea of Khursheed Shah and his son Farukh Ahmed Shah in an assets case. Shah’s two wives and 12 other people have been granted bail in the assets beyond means case. Abdul Razzaq Barhani, a government contractor who was arrested in the case on November 15, 2019, has been ordered to pay a Rs2.5 million surety bond. Khursheed Shah’s lawyer, Mukesh Kumar, said that senior lawyers have contacted Aitzaz Ahsan and Raza Rabbani and after their advice, they will apply for bail in the Supreme Court. It is pertinent to mention here that the verdict was reserved by the bench after hearing the arguments from both sides had reserved on April 14.