The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea for cancelling bail of former Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) chairman Tauqir Sadiq.
Sadiq is allegedly involved in swindling Rs 83 billion during his time as OGRA chief.
Sadiq’s counsel Abid Saqi contended that NAB’s proceedings against his client are discriminatory since they only target him in this scam.
On March 12, a division bench of the Islamabad High Court had accepted Sadiq’s bail application against surety bonds worth one million rupees and two personal guarantees. Later on, NAB filed a petition in the SC seeking cancellation of Sadiq’s bail, fearing that he may try to flee abroad.
“The accused has already been brought back from the UAE after a long legal battle. There is every apprehension that he will misuse the concession of bail and will try to flee given his previous attempts,” NAB urged in its petition.The accountability body further contended that it had filed a reference against Sadiq in light of an SC order dated November 25, 2011. The arrest warrants of the accused were issued by NAB on May 14, 2012, however, he managed to leave Pakistan in order to avoid arrest and prosecution.
The bench however rejected NAB’s arguments and upheld IHC’s order to grant Sadiq bail. Later on, while talking to the media, Saqi stated that NAB’s prosecution could not convince the court to cancel his client’s bail.
