Rana Sana’s interim pre-arrest bail extended till 5th

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench Thursday extended interim pre-arrest bail of former law minister Rana Sanaullah in an inquiry of alleged assets beyond means till April 5 as his counsel completed arguments.

Earlier, Special Prosecutor Faisal Raza Bokhari appeared before the bench with a request to postpone the hearing due to his illness. He also submitted his medical reports. The prosecutor said he never sought an adjournment in the past. Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, who headed the bench, turned down the request and asked Rana Sanaullah’s counsel to start his arguments. Advocate Azam Nazir Tarar argued that the inquiry initiated by the NAB was in reaction to post-arrest bail granted to the petitioner in a ‘fabricated’ case of drug registered by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF).

He pointed out that the petitioner received a call-up notice of the NAB the day he reached home after being released on bail in the drug case. He said the petitioner always appeared before the Bureau whenever it summoned him. The counsel argued that the ANF accused the petitioner of accumulating assets with drug business while the NAB said the same assets were gathered with corruption. He said the assets of the petitioner had been frozen by the ANF and there was no such order by the trial court. He said the trial court recently ordered unfreezing of the salary account of the petitioner. The bench adjourned further hearing till April 5 after the petitioner’s counsel completed his arguments and directed the prosecutor to appear fully prepared.