LHC extends Makhdoom Shahabuddin’s bail until 16th

The Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday extended MAN Makhdoom Shahabuddin’s interim bail in the ephedrine quota case until July 16.
The two-member bench comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najfi and Justice Chaudhry Yunus was hearing a petition by Shahabuddin, which he had filed in the court seeking interim bail and termination of arrest warrant.
The court on June 28 had granted the interim bail to him against a surety bond of Rs 100,000.
A special court of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) on June 21 had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Shahabuddin and Ali Musa Gilani, for their alleged involvement in the ephedrine quota case.
Three accused in the case including Shahabuddin, former director general of Ministry of Health Rasheed Juma and former drug controller Abdul Sattar Sehwani appeared before the court under strict security cover.
The LHC reserved its judgement over a petition filed by Rasheed Juma on June 26, offering to become an approver in the case.
In his application, he had assured the court to fully cooperate with the investigation team and share all the information which he had about the drug quota case.
The court also reserved its decision until July 16 over a petition of former drug controller Abdul Sattar seeking acquittal from the case.
Counsel for the petitioner Abdul Rashid Sheikh pleaded in the petition that his client was innocent and his name was not mentioned in the FIR. “So, Sattar’s arrest was in the case is unjustified,” he added.
The legal team representing the ANF said there were strong evidences about the involvement of the former drug controller in the case.
It contended that owner of a pharmaceutical company, one of the recipients of the quota, paid Rs 115,500 against a rented-house in which Abdul Sattar is residing.