Sharjeel Memon arrested by NAB in corruption case

KARACHI: Former Sindh information minister Sharjeel Memon was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday evening, after hours of being holed up in court premises. Memon was taken into custody as he left the court. 

The former minister was escorted from the court premises by Rangers and NAB personnel and was surrounded by his lawyers and other supporters. As he was leaving the court, resistance was offered by his supporters leading to an exchange of hot words with NAB officials. 

Memon's lawyers had advised him to hand himself over to NAB officials. 

Eleven other accused in the case were also arrested by the accountability bureau. The former information minister is expected to be produced before an accountability court on Tuesday. 

Memon was shifted to NAB headquarters Sindh after being escorted from the court. 

"The accused persons are charged for embezzlement of Rs. 5,766,479,766 purportedly paid to seven advertising agencies for awareness campaigns between 2013 and 2015," said a press release by NAB. 

"The accused persons jointly and severally in connivance with each other have been alleged for awarding the contracts to favour certain advertising agencies and to their own favour, in violation of relevant laws and rules and against exorbitant rates," added the release.

Memon was attempting to avoid being arrested by NAB after the cancellation of his bail extension plea by the Sindh High court earlier today. 

The SHC rejected the bail pleas of Memon and 12 others in a graft case. 

Hearing the Rs5.76 billion corruption case, filed by NAB, SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh dismissed the request of the suspects to extend their bails in the case.

Following the bail dismissal, NAB officials were waiting outside the court, along with the Rangers, to take the accused into custody.  

'Memon's arrest unfortunate'

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari referred to today's episode at the court as "one land two laws".

He said in a post on social media that the laws are different for the Sharifs and Sharjeel Memon. 

Sindh Minister for Information Nasir Hussain Shah said Sharjeel Memon's arrest is "unfortunate," adding, "He [Memon] came from abroad to face the courts and has been appearing at each hearing."

He said the former minister should get his bail approved given the NAB has completed its inquiry.

'Voice of people's heart'

Commenting on the development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said the arrest of former Sindh minister was a "voice of people's heart."

"Asif Zardari is the head of the mafia in Sindh and Faryal Talpur is his partner in crime," Khan lambasted.

He welcomed the move and said it is a step against money laundering in the country.

Futile attempt

Memon had earlier applied for transitory bail from the SHC chief justice, stating that he will challenge Monday's decision in the Supreme Court. Until then, NAB should be restrained from arresting Memon, his lawyer had pleaded. 

Talking to the media, Memon had said he will give himself up for arrest if the court does not rule in his favour. 

However, the chief justice refused to entertain Memon's plea and returned it to his counsel.  

Following the chief justice's decision, Memon's counsels approached the accountability court hearing the graft case and submitted a request stating that the court send the former minister to jail on judicial remand. 

They had stated that the former minister wanted to surrender himself to the accountability court so he can be sent on judicial remand [and not in custody of NAB]. 

The suspects are accused of corruption worth Rs5.76 billion in the award of advertisements of the Sindh government’s awareness campaigns in the electronic media.

Memon, who returned to Pakistan in March this year after ending his near two-year-long self-imposed exile, was arrested on his arrival by NAB but later obtained bail.  

The other accused in the case include bureaucrats, officials of the information department and members of private advertising agencies. 

Memon claims the charges against him are politically motivated.