Accountability court approves Agha Siraj Durrani’s judicial remand

KARACHI: An accountability court on Monday approved the judicial remand of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in a reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Durrani had been absconding in the reference since his bail was rejected by the Sindh High Court on October 23.

On Oct 13, Speaker Durrani had purportedly disappeared from the scene after the SHC recalled bail granted to him and 10 co-accused in Rs1.61 billion accountability reference of unaccounted assets.

NAB had arrested him last week from Islamabad where he was present to file an appeal before the Supreme Court against the SHC order.

Read more: Agha Siraj Durrani granted two-day transit remand by accountability court

Accountability Court-III Judge Dr Sher Bano Karim asked Durrani whether he was maltreated by NAB in the custody before being present in the court.

After he replied in negative, the court sent him on a judicial remand with direction to the investigation officer to present him again before the court on December 23, with a record of the case.

The Sindh Assembly speaker was presented before the accountability court in Karachi two days after he was granted two-day transit remand.

Read more: NAB arrests Agha Siraj Durrani after SC orders him to surrender

Durrani, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, was arrested by NAB from an Islamabad hotel on February 20, 2020. The watchdog is investigating his alleged movable and immovable assets that were acquired beyond his known sources of income.

Durrani, his spouse, children, brother and others have been charged with possessing and facilitating acquiring of the movable and immovable assets worth around Rs1.61 billion made through illegal means.