Lahore court grants interim bail to Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza Shahbaz in sugar scandal case
FIA had summoned PML-N's Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza Shahbaz in its ongoing probe into Ramzan Sugar Mills scandal last week
- Interim bail approved for PML-N's Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza Shahbaz in sugar scandal case.
- Father-son duo had submitted bail pleas to avoid arrest on being summoned by the FIA.
- Bail petitions of Shahbaz and Hamza contend FIA registered a "baseless case" under money laundering allegations.
LAHORE: The court granted interim bail to opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz in a case related to the Federal Investigation Agency's investigation into the Ramzan Sugar Mills scandal.
The PML-N president and his son reached the sessions court to obtain bail on Monday. They were accompanied by PML-N workers and their lawyers.
The father and son had submitted bail pleas to avoid arrest on being summoned by the FIA. The application filed through Amjad Pervez Advocate made FIA and others party.
Last week, FIA's Lahore wing summoned Shahbaz in its ongoing probe into the sugar scandal that led to a shortage and an extraordinary hike in the commodity's prices.
The FIA, in the notice, served to the PML-N president, said he would have to appear before the anti-corruption watchdog on June 22, and if he fails to do so, he could be sent to prison.
The notice further said that Shahbaz had to answer questions about peons and other low-grade employees of the Al-Arabia Sugar Mills and Ramzan Sugar Mills receiving Rs25 billion.
Read more: FIA summons Shahbaz Sharif in sugar scandal probe
The bail petitions of Shahbaz and Hamza contended that the FIA has registered a baseless case under money laundering allegations. "The NAB has already filed a reference on money laundering allegations," the petition said.
The petition filed by Shahbaz said that after FIA started a "baseless investigation" after NAB failed.
Shahbaz said that he wanted to be involved in the investigation of the FIA case and interim bail should be granted.
Shahbaz had said in the court of additional sessions judge Ali Abbas that he was not a director of the sugar mill and was involved in policy making.
"I had refused to subsidise the sugar mills in the past. I was asked to reduce the price of sugarcane but I refused. I did not want to harm the farmers," Shahbaz said.
Read more: PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz released from jail after 20 months
The judge questioned Shahbaz's lawyer on whether this was the first bail application, to which Pervez replied in the affirmative.
The court granted interim bail to Shahbaz and Hamza and ordered them to submit bail bonds of Rs1 million each.
The police was told not to arrest them till July 10.