Top court dismisses Sharjeel Memon’s bail plea

ISLAMABAD: The top court refused to grant bail to former information minister Sharjeel Memon and others allegedly involved in a Rs5.76 billion advertisement scam.

A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, resumed hearing on the petitions filed by the accused. After hearing arguments from the counsels, the apex court allowed the accused to withdraw their bail petitions while maintaining that they may apply for bail in the high court on fresh grounds.

The top court is hearing a case of embezzlement in awarding advertisements to electronic media concerning the Sindh government’s public awareness campaigns. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Memon, Inam Akbar, Muhammed Yousuf Kabooro, Asim Hameed Khan Sikandar, Basharat Mirza and Iqbal Z Ahmed are also among the accused in the corruption reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

According to the NAB reference, the investigation was conducted regarding corruption and corrupt practices in the award of advertisements to television and FM radio channels concerning awareness campaign carried out by Sindh Information Department. Between July 2013 and June 2015, an amount of Rs5.76 billion was paid to seven advertisement agencies.

The reference says that Memon illegally approved the release of official advertisements to the electronic media through so-called, pre-qualified advertising agencies without completing the due process.

The investigation reveals that the advertising agencies paid lower prices to TV channels and claimed much higher amounts, even though they were entitled to just 15% agency commission against the total bill.

Source: The Express Tribune