The duration of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani’s physical remand was extended by a Karachi Accountability Court till 12th April.
NAB authorities arrested Durrani from a hotel in Islamabad on February 20. “The PPP leader is facing an inquiry for accumulating assets beyond his known sources of income and there are allegations that he had embezzled public funds,” said NAB officials.
Last year in July, NAB had approved an inquiry against Durrani over various allegations of corruption.
Three different inquiries against the PPP leader had been sanctioned by NAB’s regional board. The first inquiry is regarding the alleged accumulation of assets beyond known means of income, the second inquiry is related to 352 illegal appointments made by him and the last inquiry was about embezzlement of funds for the construction of an MPA hostel and construction of the new Sindh assembly building, as well as in the appointment of project directors for certain projects.
Durrani, who was present in court, said that in the previous term of physical remand, he had only been questioned for ten minutes. “They kept asking me the same questions over and over again,” Durrani said while adding that no one was being allowed to see him.
NAB clarified on the allegation of mistreating Durrani and said that even an air conditioner has been placed in Durrani’s room. But the NAB prosecutor told the court that no matter what they will go to any level for justice.
Durrani was alleged of colluding with three other people, who had been sent on bail said the NAB prosecutor.
The NAB prosecutor alleged, “Those three people do not even own motorcycles themselves and yet are giving out millions in gifts.” He further added that the suspect had denied knowing any of these three people.
Durrani’s lawyer said, “Supreme Court should issue some guidelines towards peoples’ arrests.” The lawyer added, “The suspect’s arrest warrants still do not mention the reason for his arrest.”
“Those three people bought an estate in the name of the suspect’s children using laundered money,” he stated.
A search by the anti-graft body was conducted in Durrani’s house, located in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority after he was arrested in Islamabad.
The court ordered Durrani’s lawyer to submit a written application in order to get hold of the copy of the video of the raid conducted in the suspect’s house as NAB had agreed to provide them a copy of the video.