In a major development, PML-N leader and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has got another relief as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has closed the assets inquiry against him.
According to the details, NAB Lahore has decided to close the ongoing inquiry against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah over accumulating assets beyond known sources of income.
As per reports, NAB said it cannot continue the inquiry against Rana Sanaullah after the NAB Amendments Ordinance. The file for final approval has been forwarded to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman.
To clarify, the National Assembly passed the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Act, 2022 with a majority vote, amending the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 (NAO).
Read more: NAB amendment: Court closes assets beyond means case against Ishaq Dar
Under the new amendments, the offense of corruption and corrupt practices as per the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999, will be tied to the value of Rs500m. To clarify, NAB will have no jurisdiction to proceed in corruption cases involving less than Rs500 million.
The bill also strips the president of his authority to appoint judges of accountability courts in consultation with high court chief justices. As a result, courts across the country have returned cases.
Rana Sanaullah’s acquittal in drugs case
On December 10, Rana Sanaullah was acquitted in a drugs smuggling case filed against him in 2019. A petition was filed seeking Rana Sanaullah’s acquittal in the case which stated that the case has been filed on political grounds, hence, the PML-N leader should be acquitted.
During the hearing, ANF Assistant Director Imtiaz Ahmed and Inspector Ehsaan Azam dismissed the charges against Rana Sanaullah, declaring them “wrong”.
'جان اللہ کو دینی ہے'
کاش تم لوگ دل سے بھی یہی سمجھتے pic.twitter.com/M0Byk5znUe
— PMLN (@pmln_org) December 10, 2022
Rana Sanaullah was arrested on July 01, 2019, by the ANF Lahore team near Ravi Toll Plaza on the motorway. He was traveling from Faisalabad to Lahore. The ANF claimed to have recovered 15kg of heroin from his vehicle, while it arrested five others, including Sanaullah’s driver and security guards.
He was sent on judicial remand the next day by the court. Rana Sanaullah remained incarcerated for six months until the Lahore High Court (LHC) granted him bail on December 24, 2019.
Read more: Rana Sanaullah gets clean chit in drugs smuggling case