ANF says it has no video evidence against Rana Sanaullah

ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) said it has no video evidence against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah in a drug case.

"There is no such video (in RSK case) and ANF is not claiming for any such video -- as per law, 265 (C) CRPC, all evidences and challan copies (have) already (been) given to defence counsel. They are just delaying and have submitted a fresh application asking for the video of the incident which was quoted in the press conference by (the) minister MNC (Sheharyar Afridi) whereas it was clarified in the same conference that there is no such video and ANF is not claiming for any such video. It was clarified by DG ANF in the same press conference," the ANF said in its official stance shared with this correspondent on Tuesday.

On July 4, 2019, Sheharyar Afridi in his media talk had claimed that narcotics agents had been working on leads link to Rana Sanaullah Khan following an arrest in Faisalabad. "For approximately three weeks, Rana Sanaullah’s car and movements were monitored at every level -- everything, A to Z, will be presented in court," Afridi said.

The ANF further stated that defence counsel for Rana Sanaullah was just trying to avoid the facts. "ANF is going for bail cancellation in Supreme Court. (On) 4th January hearing in trial court, ANF will press vehemently (before) the trial court for framing of charge so that prosecution can submit its evidence -- will request the honourable court to conduct the trial speedily as it's already delayed.

On 4th January 2020, ANF will press the trial court to frame the charge as accused counsels are avoiding charge framing. In result prosecution is not allowed to produce her evidence against accused -- moreover as soon as trial will start, this application will be rejected on ANF prosecutor argument that we have nothing to do with the video," explained the ANF statement shared with The News.

The ANF official statement also revealed that "the prosecutors had also argued the bail petition on grounds that the case is fact based that drugs have been recovered from physical possession of the accused. No previous precedence exists on bail granted to an accused on possession of this huge quantity of drugs.

The bail application should have seen whether bail on physical possession/recovery is applicable or not. As regards to the difference of timings from Toll Plaza to Thokar, prosecutors argued that this does not confirm whether both cameras were synchronised and needs deliberation during trial. More so, these timings further confirm that incident timings as mentioned in FIR are correct and not manipulative. So far trial not yet started and the witnesses along with evidence will be produced in trial court. Charge is not framed yet and LHC has accepted the bail petition which is highly objectionable and unprecedented against the law."