Former Sindh minister arrested in graft case

A former information minister of Pakistan's Sindh province was arrested today in a multibillion-rupee corruption case from outside a court here after a high drama.

Sharjeel Inam Memon, a close confidante of PPP Co- Chairperson Asif Ali Zadari, took refuge in a courtroom in the Sindh High Court after it rejected his bail plea earlier in the day in the Rs 5.76 billion graft case.

Memon kept officials of the paramilitary Rangers and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on their toes for hours outside the court after his bail plea was rejected and the judges ordered his immediate arrest.

Memon is accused of embezzling billions of rupees in issuing advertisements in the media to promote the provincial government awareness campaigns.
 

Following the rejection of his bail plea, he was holed up for hours in a courtroom to avoid arrest as his team explored legal options.

Memon reportedly decided to challenge the SHC order in the Supreme Court to evade arrest, but that did not happen.

To avoid any untoward incident, a large number of law enforcement agencies personnel had beefed up the security around the court.

When the judges called it a day, Memon had no option but to step out. As soon as he exited the building, surrounded in a tight cordon by his lawyers and supporters, he was nabbed by representatives of the accountability bureau and whisked away.

Memon and the 12 others are allegedly involved in the corruption in the advertisements campaign of the provincial information department.

The PPP leader, who returned to Pakistan from self- imposed exile in March this year, had obtained protective bail in April in connection with an inquiry initiated by the top graft buster.

Memon had fled to Dubai in 2015 after NAB launched a crackdown against political leaders and bureaucrats involved in corruption in the region.

The anti-graft watchdog later filed a case in the accountability court regarding corruption in the advertisements campaign of the provincial information department.

The PPP leader is also facing a separate reference regarding illegal adjustment and consolidation of hundreds of acres of land in favour of a private housing project.