Rs25b money-laundering: Shehbaz, son Hamza granted interim bail till July 10

LAHORE: A banking crimes court on Monday granted interim bail to PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz till July 10 in Rs25 billion alleged money laundering investigation against the father-son duo.

The FIA had issued a call-up notice to Shehbaz for June 22, while Hamza was served notice for June 24 in the said investigation. Shehbaz and Hamza appeared before the banking court duty judge Syed Ali Abbas.Both filed their bail petitions through their counsel Advocate Amjad Pervez. Pervez argued before the court that the FIA “has registered a baseless case on money-laundering charges against his clients”. He said that NAB had already filed a reference on money-laundering allegations against his clients. The counsel alleged that the FIA has launched a baseless probe after NAB failure in proving the money-laundering allegations. He said that the FIA had investigated Shehbaz Sharif in jail. However, his clients were ready to cooperate with the investigators and would join investigation, Amjad added. He implored the court to grant pre-arrest bail to his clients.

Meanwhile, Shehbaz also made his speech while addressing the court. He said that he was not a director and he did not receive any salary from the sugar mill in question. The court later granted interim bail to Shehbaz and Hamza till July 10 on submission of surety bonds of one million each.