LHC annoyed with ACE for booking Rana Sanaullah

RAWALPINDI. Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan on Monday expressed displeasure against the Punjab Anti Corruption Establishment (ACE) for framing a corruption case against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and warned relevant officials to produce the case record or face jail.

The interior minister was also present in the court. The court observed that a non-bailable arrest warrant for the minister was a joke and illegal. It added the ACE had registered a fake case against the minister. “The ACE was required to present evidence against Rana Sanaullah. He was merely a buyer of a plot in a housing society and instead of protecting a buyer a case was registered against him,” it maintained and directed the ACE director general to appear in person with the complete record of the case until October 28.

Last week, the bench had suspended the warrant issued in an inquiry related to the purchase of plots in a housing society at a “throwaway price”. Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan had also stopped the ACE from arresting the minister and raiding his house.

During the proceedings on Monday, the ACE informed the court that the FIR alleged that Rana Sanaullah and his wife had bought property, but his name was not mentioned,” adding that the reference to the PMLN leader had been made by mentioning him as a “provincial minister.” Dismayed at the information, the court remarked that there was nothing against Rana Sanaullah and asked why not ACE officials not sent to jail? “There have been thousands of provincial ministers. Explain how this alleged corruption became bribe. Prove this; tell us who did Rana Sanaullah bribe? What is the crime? The civil judge issued illegal warrants without looking at the record,” the judge said.

“Whether the allocation of plots is correct or not is the issue of the owner. You (ACE) tell us where is corruption? Was the land bought below the District Collector (DC) rate?” questioned the court, noting that in that case a fine could be imposed but would instead be deemed a case of Sanaullah being cheated who as the buyer should have been protected by the ACE. “Who is the witness that said Sanaullah had taken a bribe?” inquired the court, warning that if it would not be satisfied by the ACE, then its director would be sent to jail.

Speaking to the media outside the court, the interior minister said, “I have challenged this lousy attempt on the part of the Punjab government and Imran Niazi. When the Punjab government could not find anything else against us, they registered fake cases.” He also claimed that it had been done at the request of the ACE DG, adding that the case was in fact three years old and he had not even been named in it, or any way connected to it. “Out of nowhere, a joint investigation team (JIT) was formed a month ago and the record was tampered with,” he alleged. “The magistrate was misled by misrepresentation in the subordinate court. My warrant was obtained through false details and they tried to defame me by releasing it to the media,” he added.

Sanaullah said that action would be taken against all those involved in “committing forgery and misleading the court” and that he would approach court against officials concerned.