Declaring home of accused as sub-jail: SHC issues notices to Sindh govt, AG, NAB, others

KARACHI: Sindh High Court issued notices to Sindh government, Advocate General Sindh, Prosecutor General Sindh and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Sukkur in a petition regarding declaring the home of accused of corruption Abbas Jakhrani ‘Jakhrani House Jacobabad’ as sub-jail.

On January 31, Sindh Home Department declared home of an accused Ghulam Abbas Jakhrani of corruption of millions of rupees as sub-jail. Accused of millions of rupees corruption in Sindh Education department’s development funds before National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Abbas Jakhrani is cousin of Aijaz Jakhrani of PPP central leader and Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister for Prison; is confined at Sukkur Central jail from last many months.

The Sindh High Court directed all respondents to submit their replies on February 21 upon the issue of declaring of home of the accused as sub-jail. Abbas Jakhrani former chairman of Jacobabad Municipal Corporation was arrested in September 2019 by NAB Sukkur. He is also under investigation of NAB in the purchase of a bullet-proof vehicle illegally. On January 31, Sindh Home Secretary Muhammad Usman Chachar issued an order copy of which is available with ‘The News’ declaring the house of accused Sajjad Jakhrani ‘Jakhrani House Jacobabad’ as sub-jail to keep him over there. Home Secretary Chachar issued order of declaring ‘Jakhrani House’, residence of accused Abbas Jakhrnai as sub-jail in pursuance of section 541 of Criminal Procedure Code (Cr. Pc) read with section 6 of the Sindh Prisoners and Corrections Service Act 2019 and Rule 2 (1) (b) of Pakistan Prison Rules 1978 on account of ‘different tribal enmity and security concerns’ described by the Sindh government.

Petitioner Moula Bux Soomro PTI President of district Jacobabad through his lawyer Advocate Ahmed Ghumro prayed the court to declare illegal the order of Sindh government for declaring the home of the NAB accused as sub-jail; as according to him only NAB authorities could declare any place as a sub-jail for their accused persons not the Sindh government.

Petitioner in its petition claimed that Adviser to CM Sindh for Prison department Aijaz Jakhrnai was providing illegal facility to his relative and co-accused by using his position.

On the other hand Accountability Court Sukkur by showing its displeasure upon Superintendent of Sukkur Central Jail for shifting of another accused of corruption before NAB Abdul Razzak Barani to National Institute of Cardio Vascular Diseases (NICVD) also co-accused of Aijaz Jakhrani; issued show-cause notice to Superintendent and directed him to produce accused Barani before the court on February 12, today.

Barani by profession is contractor and co-accused of Adviser to CM Sindh for Prison Department Aijaz Jakhrani is also co-accused of Pakistan People’s Party central leader Syed Khurshid Shah and was arrested by NAB Sukkur in November last year, confined in central jail Sukkur, from where he was shifted to NICVD.