Assets beyond means: LHC accepts Rana Sana's plea to close NAB inquiry

LAHORE: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah's plea seeking the closure of the assets beyond means inquiry against him launched by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was accepted by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday.

The hearing of the case was heard by a two-member bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi during which the high court accepted Sanaullah's plea seeking an end to the inquiry. 

During the hearing, NAB's lawyer Faisal Bukhari said that the anti-graft body has submitted its response to the high court.

Sanaullah's lawyer Amjad Parvez said that the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) arrested the minister in a narcotics case.

NAB says that Sanaullah has acquired assets through corruption.

Parvez said that NAB has also sent a notice seeking to investigate the property which has been challenged in court, adding that there is just one property but there are two different statements from two different organisations regarding it.

"NAB has itself said that there is no evidence of corruption against Rana Sanaullah," said Parvez.

Justice Asjad Javed Gharal inquired if the ANF case is still pending.

At this, Sanaullah's lawyer said that the hearing of the case is still underway in the concerned court.

"Has a reference been filed against Rana Sanaullah?" the court asked.

The NAB's lawyer replied that the case is being investigated, hence, no reference has been filed.

The case

Last year, NAB's Lahore Division approved an assets beyond means inquiry against Sanaullah.

The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Lahore NAB's Director-General Major General (retd) Shahzad Saleem at the accountability watchdog's office in the city.

According to NAB officials, then NAB chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal was requested to approve the filing of a reference so that a probe into Rs190 million worth of assets allegedly acquired by Sanaullah can be launched.