KARACHI: The self-exiled Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former Sindh information minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, who is wanted by the National Accountability Bureau in corruption cases, might be arrested if he returns to the country as the Sindh High Court on Friday threw out his pleas seeking extension in his protective bail in two corruption cases.

Headed by Justice Syed Mohammad Farooq Shah, a two-judge bench in the order noted that the SHC had already given more than sufficient time to Mr Memon for surrendering before the trial court by extending his protective bail again and again.

“Further extension in his bail would amount to abuse the process of court,” the bench observed.

The court remarked that the former minister’s transitory bail was extended over four times and his surety amount of Rs3 million was also forfeited, yet he failed to turn up.

Last time the former minister’s protective bail was extended to Jan 31 on the condition that no further extension would be given in the future, it said.

Mr Memon’s lawyer, advocate Faiz H. Shah, had moved the application submitting that the former minister could not surrender himself before the court due to his ailment. He informed the judges that his client wanted to contest the corruption charges levelled against him, but he could not travel due to his poor health.

He asked the court to extend the period of Mr Memon’s bail for four weeks on medical grounds.

Earlier, the court gave him bail in the sum of Rs1 million each in the two cases to appear before the trial court for further remedy and warned that the amount of surety shall be automatically forfeited if he failed to surrender before the court within stipulated time.

The bench had also made it clear that no further extension would be allowed in future except in exceptional circumstances.

The court ruled that the trial court might proceed with usual proceedings in the references notwithstanding the petitioner’s absence, including, if need be, declaring him a proclaimed offender and thereafter separating his case from the trial.

The PPP leader faces two corruptions references, one relating to alleged award of advertisements at exorbitant rates on TV and FM channels between July 2013 and June 2015, and the other to illegal allotment and adjustment of land in 43 dehs of Malir in favour of Bahria Town.

Referee judge appointed

Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar of the Sindh High Court was on Friday appointed as a referee judge to decide the bail applications of former PPP minister Dr Asim Hussain in corruption cases.

The matter was referred to the SHC chief justice after a two-judge bench, comprising Justice Mohammad Farooq Shah and Mohammad Karim Khan Agha, could not reach a consenting order.

The cases pertained to allegedly depriving the public exchequer of Rs462 million by misusing his authority to get land allotted illegally, encroaching upon state land for expansion of Dr Ziauddin Hospital, money laundering and receiving kickbacks.

The other corruption reference against Dr Asim pertained to illegal award of multibillion rupee gas processing contracts to Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited (JJVL) and thus allegedly embezzling Rs17 billion.

The former minister, who has been behind bars since Aug 8, 2015, had filed the applications through his counsel seeking bail in the cases.

The division bench, which had earlier reserved its verdict on the bail applications, issued a split order, differing from each other in their decisions.

Justice Agha granted bail to Dr Asim in the sum of Rs2.5m in each case and PR bond of the like amount to the satisfaction of nazir of the court, while Justice Shah rejected the bail applications.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2017