Supreme Court dismisses bail plea of Nisar Morai, others in corruption case

KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the bail petitions of former chairman of Fishermen Cooperative Society and other co-accused in illegal appointments, embezzlement of funds and corruption references but directed the accountability court to conclude the trial proceedings within 45 days.

Former chairman of the Fishermen Cooperative Society Nisar Morai, former chairman Abdul Saeed Khan and other co-accused were charged with illegal appointments of 400 employees in the FCS during 2014 to July 2017, illegal contracts of construction and embezzlement in trash fish sale without auction, causing loss to the national exchequer of Rs343.796 million.

The petitioners’ counsel submitted that NAB had filed reference on baseless allegations and prosecution had failed to produce any sufficient evidence before the trial court. They sought release of petitioners on bail as they were incarcerated in prison for more than two years without any conclusion of trial proceedings.

The NAB prosecutor opposed post arrest bail petitions of Nisar Morai and other co-accused involved in corruption references and submitted that petitioners were involved in corruption and corrupt practices and they were not entitled for any relief from the court of the law as a reference was also pending before the accountability court. He submitted that NAB had examined six witnesses and the remaining 23 will be examined before court soon and witnesses were produced before trial court on regular basis.

The SC’s three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, after hearing the arguments of the counsel directed the investigation officer to ensure that all 23 witnesses be produced before the trial courts and their examination be recorded and cross examine completed within three weeks and trial proceedings be concluded within six months. The court directed the trial court to ensure that no adjournment was to be allowed by any party and trial proceedings be concluded within 45 days.

It is pertinent to mention that the Sindh High Court had earlier dismissed the pre-arrest bail of Nisar Morai and other co-accused Sultan Qamar Siddiqui, Shahid Hussain, Imran Afzal, Zulfiqar Ali, Amjad Iqbal, Riaz Ahmed and Abdul Saeed Khan. The court also dismissed the post arrest bail petition of Abu Bakar Mariwala and Gul Munir Sheikh in the case.