LHC grants bail to Hamza in sugar mills case

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) granted bail to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shahbaz in Ramzan Sugar Mills case on Thursday.

A division bench comprising Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Chaudhry Abdul Aziz heard the post-arrest bail petition, filed by the PML-N leader. As the proceedings resumed, the bench inquired from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor that if the reference had already been filed then why a supplementary reference was filed in the case.

The prosecutor replied the supplementary reference could be filed if new evidence emerged during investigations. At this, the bench asked the prosecutor to name the law under which the supplementary reference could be filed, adding why the

investigation officer could not finalise the probe in 90 days period.

Hamza’s counsel Amjad Pervaiz advocate argued that his client was arrested with mala fide intention in the case, saying the bureau had so far failed to prove anything against his client. He pleaded with the court to grant benefit of bail to his client.

The NAB prosecutor submitted that there were seven directors of Ramzan Sugar Mills and Hamza was one of them. At this stage, the bench expressed annoyance over the NAB prosecutor and asked whether the drain was built to facilitate Ramzan Sugar Mills only. Did you bring any evidence of misuse of power, it said.