A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Monday sought reply from the National Accountability Bureau on a bail application filed by Hamesh Khan, the principal accused in the Punjab Bank involving Rs 9 billion.
The division bench, comprising Justice Rauf Ahmad Sheikh and Justice Shahid Hameed Dar, was hearing the matter.
Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel had submitted that Hamesh Khan was not accused of corruption but charged for negligence of duty in the Punjab Bank fraud case.
He submitted that the other co-accused had been granted bail whereas Khan was in prison for the last two years and that his trial could not be concluded. He requested the bench to accept the bail plea and order the release of Hamesh Khan. The bench, after recording the initial arguments sought a reply from the NAB within a week.
It is pertinent to mention here that Khan has already approached the LHC twice for bail. However, a division bench had dismissed his bail application observing that the court could not release someone who had left the country despite the fact that his name was included in the Exit Control List.
Hamesh, former Punjab Bank president, was accused of sanctioning Rs 9 billion to the Harris Steel Mills against rules and regulations.
