Islamabad (Web Desk): The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday arrested Speaker Sindh Assembly and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Agha Siraj Durrani from outside the Supreme Court (SC) in assets beyond means case.
Earlier, the apex court had ordered the PPP to surrender before NAB.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial heard the plea filed by Sindh Assembly Speaker seeking the pre-arrest bail.
During the hearing, Durrani’s lawyer requested the court to grant his client bail so he can surrender before the relevant trial court.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah observed that the Sindh High Court (SHC) rejected Durrani's bail plea on the basis of merit.
He remarked that the Supreme Court cannot conduct a hearing on this plea without the high court's verdict," he remarked.
In his remarks Justice Sajjad Ali Shah said that Durrani must have been in the jail if SHC had rejected his bail.
The apex court ordered Speaker Sindh Assembly to comply with the SHC's order and surrender before NAB and then this court (SC) will conduct a hearing on this case next week.
Meanwhile, the SC also rejected Siraj Durrani's request to restrict NAB officials from arresting him from the courtroom.
In his remarks, Justice Bandial directed Durrani to first surrender before NAB.
"We had given you concession earlier as well. There is a high court's order against you," Justice Bandial said.
"We will not interfere in NAB’s matter,” the judge stated.
The court later adjourned the case till next week.
Earlier, the apex court had nullified the SHC's orders pertaining to his release on bail in the case.
Durrani and 18 others accused have been indicted in the case by an accountability court in Karachi.
On October 13, the SHC rejected bail plea of Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani among eight accused in the assets beyond means case.
As per the detials, Justice Nadeem Akhtar and Justice Iqbal Kalhoro announced the reserved verdict on bail plea of suspects.
The court, however, granted bail to Durrani’s wife and his sons.
The SHC had approved bail of Agha Siraj Durrani in December 2019, but the NAB had approached the SC against the bail.
The apex court sent the matter back the SHC.
It is pertinent to mention that Agha Siraj Durrani was arrested in February 2019 from a hotel in Islamabad and was brought to Karachi the same night.
He was produced before the accountability court on February 21 that sent him on a 14-day physical remand.
The anti-graft body had told the court that Durrani’s property worth Rs27 million had been found in Abbottabad but he disclosed its value at around Rs4 million.
The court was also informed that his bungalow worth Rs40 million was found in DHA and 10 luxury watches were also recovered in his bank locker in addition to gold, foreign currency and other valuables.
