Sharjeel Memon granted bail in corruption case

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Pic23-070 (Correction) KARACHI: Oct 23 – Officials of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) are arresting Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Memon outside Sindh High Court (SHC) after his bail plea in the Rs 6billion graft case was rejected by the court and the judges ordered his immediate arrest. ONLINE PHOTO by Sabir Mazhar

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday granted bail to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Memon in a corruption reference pertaining to the award of advertisements at ‘exorbitant rates’ through the abuse of power.

The court asked the PPP leader to submit a bond worth Rs5 million to procure bail and directed to place him on the no-fly list.

At the outset of the hearing, the court asked if it had been proven that Memon had received kickbacks from the deal with the advertising company.

“It has not been proven that Memon has received kickbacks from the deal,” the investigation officer conceded but added that the former minister had used his position of power in an unjust manner.

A National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team had taken Memon and 11 others into custody on Oct 23, 2017, after the Sindh High Court had rejected his bail plea.

The court had reserved its verdict in the previous hearing in a bail plea filed by the former minister.

The anti-corruption watchdog had initiated inquiry against the former provincial minister over alleged corruption by awarding government advertisements at ‘exorbitant rates’ and abuse of powers, causing losses of more than Rs6bn to the national exchequer.