Judge cuts Rana Sana’s hearing short after being called back to LHC

By News Desk

LAHORE: A special court judge cut short narcotics case hearing against former Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday after learning through WhatsApp that his services were repatriated to the Lahore High Court.

Judge Masood Arshad adjourned further hearing of the case and the bail petition filed by Sanaullah until September 7. On July 1, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) officials arrested Rana Sanaullah from the Islamabad-Lahore motorway near Sukheki, while he was travelling from Faisalabad to Lahore, alleging he was in possession of narcotics.

On Wednesday, Judge Arshad conducted the case proceedings amid elaborate security arrangements during which the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader was produced on the expiry of his judicial remand.

The defence counsel questioned the video submitted by ANF officials regarding the alleged recovery of drugs from Sanaullah and argued all allegations were baseless. He requested the court for grant bail to his client.

However, an ANF prosecutor said he required some time to study the case as it was entrusted to him the night before. At this, the court adjourned the hearing for some time while allowing ANF prosecutor’s request.

After a break of an hour, the judge observed that he could not hear the matter anymore as he had been

repatriated to the Lahore High Court.

“I have received the notification through WhatsApp,” he added.

The judge said that all cases were equal for him. Whether it is case of Rana Sanaullah or others, the court would have decided the matter “on merit”, the judge observed in response to the defence counsel’s comments.

Subsequently, the court adjourned further hearing until September 7 while extending Sanaullah’s judicial remand.

The ANF had already filed interim charge-sheet in the special court for the Control of Narcotic Substances against Rana Sanaullah. In it, the ANF alleged they had recovered heroin and other drugs from Sanaullah’s vehicle.