A three-member bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday unanimously granted bail to Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif in a corruption case.
His counsels Senator Azam Nazir Tarar and Amjad Pervez had completed their arguments.
The bench, headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, after hearing detailed arguments announced the decision with consensus. “The bail is allowed with the consensus of colleague judges,” the justice said.
Shehbaz Sharif was arrested by the NAB on September 28, 2020, after the Lahore High Court rejected his bail plea in a money laundering case.
The NAB reference accused the PML-N leader of being the beneficiary of assets held in the name of his family members and benamidars who had no sources to acquire such assets.
NAB Special prosecutor Syed Faisal Raza Bukhari prayed to the court that there was an allegation of the transfer of Rs533 million on Shehbaz Sharif through TTs.
He said several properties have been registered in the name of the accused’s wife Tehmina Durrani, which are under his control. Thirteen industrial units and benami companies are in the name of the accused and his relatives.
Was Shehbaz Sharif a shareholder in companies? Were the relatives shareholders of said companies? asked Justice Najafi.
The replied in the affirmative.
Were these companies established in 2005? Justice Najafi questioned.
The NAB replied the companies were set up at different times after 2005. Eight companies were established from 2008 to 2018. The assets of Rs299 million and 26 TTs had been transferred in the accused’s first wife Nusrat Shehbaz.
At this, Amjad Pervez argued that the case was about Shehbaz Sharif.
The NAB prosecutor said Salman Shehbaz received TTs valuing Rs1 billion and Rs60 million.
Justice Najafi asked that what was the age of Salman Shehbaz when he received his first TT? The NAB’s prosecutor replied he was 23.
On a question, he said that the money was not transferred directly in the accused’s accounts but of his relatives who gave him the money when he needed it.
“What your investigations say about the sources of TTs,” Justice Najafi asked.
The NAB prosecutor replied that the people who sent TTs told NAB that they had never gone abroad.
“TTs had been sent from UAE and England,” the prosecutor added.
The bench inquired if NAB investigated the matter of any kickbacks that were received. “If yes then please tell its resources and wherefrom these were received.”
The counsel the accused replied NAB had no answer for it as NAB prayed that the defendant had the allegation of assets beyond means and money laundering case.
After hearing the arguments the bench issued bail against two surety bonds of Rs5 million each.
