Sharjeel impeding trial of Rs6bn graft case, SHC told

Hearing adjourned until 17th pending reply to accountability court’s report

The presiding officer of the accountability court trying Sharjeel Memon in a six-billion-rupee graft case informed the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday that the accused was impeding the proceedings.

The SHC was hearing a petition filed by the former Sindh information minister, who sought further extension in his transitory bail in the corruption reference filed by the country’s top anti-graft watchdog.

The court that extended the protective bail until February 7 had directed the trial court to submit a report clarifying if the petitioner’s absence was causing delays in the proceedings.

The report of the accountability court’s presiding officer stated that 13 of the 17 accused had appeared before the trial court, with the exception of Memon, former information deputy secretary Anneta Baloch and Altaf Hussain Memon.

The officer said the remaining accused, Fazal Mehmood, had passed away but Memon and Baloch were abroad and proceedings against them had been initiated under the criminal procedure.

He said the proclamation proceedings against Memon were suspended by the trial court on the request of his counsel, who said the former minister was on transitory bail and wanted to join the proceedings. However, he did not turn up in court despite being granted protective bail.

The presiding officer said Memon was delaying the framing of charges by not appearing in court despite being granted bail, adding that copies of witness statements had been supplied to the other accused.

Memon’s counsel reiterated that the former minister was willing to return to the country but he could not travel because of an ailment. The counsel sought time to submit the petitioner’s medical certificate and a response to the accountability court’s report.

The SHC’s division bench headed by Justice Syed Mohammad Farooq Shah granted the request and adjourned the hearing until February 17.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference against Memon, information department officials and representatives of advertising agencies for committing corruption of more than Rs5 billion in the awarding of advertisements of the provincial government's awareness campaigns in the electronic media.

The Pakistan Peoples Party leader has been in London ever since law enforcement agencies launched a crackdown against corrupt politicians and bureaucrats.

He had told the SHC through his counsel that NAB had booked him in a false corruption reference while he was out of the country, and that the bureau had not issued him a call-up notice or provided any information beforehand.