ISLAMABAD                -            The Supreme Court Monday turned down the NAB’s appeal against Sindh High Court (SHC) verdict to suspend its warrants of arrest for PPP leader Sharjeel Memon.

A two-member bench of the apex court comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Ameen-ud-Din conducted hearing of the NAB appeal and rejected the same observing that the SHC decision in which it made observations against the bureau would not have any bearing on the trial proceedings against Sharjeel Memon.

The bench ruled, “The SHC’s decision suspending the arrest warrants would not be used as a legal reference.”

The SHC last week had granted pre-arrest bail to PPP leader and former Sindh minister Sharjeel Memon and ordered the NAB not to arrest him during inquiry being conducted against him.

Memon had filed pre-arrest bail petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC), fearing his arrest after opening new inquiries against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Memon, in his petition, stated that two references are already under proceedings against him and it came into his knowledge that the anti-corruption watchdog is now holding a secret inquiry.

Sharjeel Memon, who was lately released from prison on bail, has been facing a number of graft charges.

An accountability court on December 21 had issued a show cause notice to the investigation officer of the assets reference against Memon over failure to submit report about the proclaimed offenders of the case.

Sharjeel’s wife Sadaf Sharjeel and mother Zeenat Inaam Memon have been among the co-accused in the case of having assets beyond means. Both of them filed petitions for exemption from appearing in hearing of the case.

In the earlier hearing, the court had summoned Sharjeel Memon’s wife and other co-accused on December 21. Former provincial minister was also absent from the accountability hearing.