Ex-CM Sindh granted ten-day interim bail in fake accounts case

ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (HC) Tuesday granted a ten-day pre-arrest bail

to former chief minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah in a NAB case pertaining to money laundering and fake accounts.

A divisional bench, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani, accepted the interim bail of ex-CM against surety bonds worth Rs one million.

The petitioner had stated in his plea that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had served called up notices to him for March 27, for an investigation related to Thatta Sugar Mill and Dadu Sugar Mill. The department could detain him on his appearance before the investigation team, he stated.

Shah stated that he had not misused his powers being CM Sindh, adding that a criminal case against him was initiated to politically victimize him. He stated that he wanted to join NAB’s inquiries but have fear of being arrested and humiliated.

Former CM said that he was 85 and being a senior citizen he was entitled to interim bail. The NAB had no evidence against him, he added.

He prayed the court to stop NAB from arresting him and grant pre-arrest bail. The bench noted that the petitioner had filed a bail plea in a case related to Thatta Sugar Mills. Justice Aamer Farooq observed that the petitioner should have filed two petitions if he was summoned in two inquiries by anti-graft body.

At this, the petitioner’s counsel said that his client would file another petition for bail in the second case.

After hearing arguments at length, the bench accepted the interim bail plea of former CM Sindh province and directed him to join NAB  investigation.

The petitioner had nominated Chairman NAB and DG NAB as respondents in his case. It may be mentioned here that the former chief minister was named in a report by the joint investigation team (JIT) tasked to probe the fake accounts case. He was among 172 people named in the report whose names were to be placed on the exit control list (ECL).