The Supreme Court on Wednesday annulled the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) verdict, granting bail to Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in the assets beyond means case.
During the hearing the three-member SC bench comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar, directed the SHC to reconsider its verdict within a period of two months.
The court also directed the high court to decide the case in light of the facts and evidence. It ordered that a bench comprising senior judges should hear the bail plea. However, the Supreme Court barred arrest of the Speaker till Sindh High Court is reviewing its order.
During the hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor told the court that assets of Agha Siraj Durrani are beyond his income, and the SHC did not review the facts while hearing the bail plea. The NAB presented all the evidence regarding assets held by Agha Siraj Durrani beyond means.
Responding to which Justice Umar Ata Bandial stated that the SHC granted bail to the Sindh Assembly speaker without considering any concrete basis. Justice Bandial said there should be some basis for granting bail.
The counsel for Siraj Durrani said no NAB official had visited to inspect the properties. The SHC, on December 13, 2019, granted bail to Durrani and others nominated in the assets beyond means reference, while ordering to include their names in the Exit Control List.
The speaker was arrested on February 20 from a hotel in Islamabad and was brought to Karachi the same night. On February 21, he was produced before the accountability court which sent him on a 14-day physical remand.
