Sharjeel Memon also under probe for illegal allotment of forest land, NAB tells SHC

Former information minister Sharjeel Inam Memon is also being investigated with regards to unauthorised leasing of forest land to private individuals in Hyderabad in 2009 and 2010, a counsel for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) told the Sindh High Court on Monday.

Filing comments on the petition of Pakistan Peoples Party leader Sharjeel Inam Memon, who sought court injunction against his possible arrest in NAB’s inquiries, the NAB counsel submitted that Sharjeel Inam was also involved in the matter pertaining to illegal allotment of state land in Malir and the formal local bodies minister did not respond to NAB despite issuance of several call-up notices.

The NAB prosecutor submitted that a complaint against the former provincial minster for unauthorised allotment of forest land to private persons was under probe at an initial stage of the complaint verification.

The NAB counsel submitted that the petitioner was also facing a corruption reference of Rs5 billion pertaining to advertisements of a provincial government’s awareness campaigns in the electronic media. It was submitted that NAB was probing the matter in accordance with the law and its mandate under the provision of the National Accountability Ordinance.

The counsel requested the court to dismiss the petition, saying the former minister was not entitled for any relief. The court after taking the comments on record adjourned the hearing till December 2.

The PPP leader, who is living in self-exile in London after law-enforcement agencies launched a crackdown against politicians and bureaucrats for corruption since last couple of year, moved court for seeking court injunction against any coercive action by the NAB, following announced on October 5 that he would soon return to Pakistan.

The National Accountability Bureau had filed corruption reference against the former information minister, information department officials and advertising companies’ representatives for committing corruption in advertisements of provincial government’s awareness campaigns involving over Rs5 billion. Sharjeel was also granted a transitory protective bail by the SHC till November 14 for arrival in the country and to surrender before the trial court.