NAB grills Nawaz Sharif in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case
NAB raised 13 questions during the probe to which they did not receive satisfactory responses.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – A combined investigation team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday investigated former premier Nawaz Sharif in Chaudhry Sugar Mills corruption case.
NAB raised 13 questions during the probe to which they did not receive satisfactory responses from the former Prime Minister.
According to sources, Nawaz Sharif told the NAB team that business affairs are being handled by Hussain Nawaz and they should inquire him about such questions. The anti-graft watchdog investigated former Prime Minister about Rs410 million which were laundered through the partnership of his nephew Yousuf Abbas and daughter Maryam Nawaz.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo continued asserting that they should take the questions to the concerned party adding that doing a business is not illegal.
The erstwhile premier was investigated about the transfer of shares worth eleven million to a foreigner Naseer Abdullah. To this, Nawaz Sharif answered that his family has business connections with him.
When the anti-graft watchdog inquired about the reasons for returning the transferred shares in 2014, he reiterated that they should talk to Hussain Nawaz as he watches over the foreign affairs.
NAB also tried to seek the source of $15.52 million loan shown for Sugar Mills. To which, Nawaz Sharif expressed that he has no knowledge about it as he does not hold any record at the present.
Earlier, NAB court had approved 14-day physical remand of Nawaz Sharif in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.
During the hearing, NAB prosecutor said that in 1992, Chaudhry Sugar Mills was established and Nawaz Sharif owned shares worth Rs43 million.
On August 8, NAB team had detained Maryam Nawaz outside the Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore for skipping appearance in Chaudhry Sugar Mills due to meeting with her father and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Maryam Nawaz was unable to provide the required details of foreign investment in sugar mills while she was also failed to satisfy the bureau regarding source of income for purchasing the shares. NAB has also claimed that three foreigners had transferred 11000 shares worth millions of rupees on Maryam Nawaz’s name.
The anti-corruption watchdog’s daycare centre was declared sub-jail for the PML-N leader while female police and NAB personnel were deployed for her.
On July 19, accountability court had turned down petition of NAB claiming Maryam Nawaz had produced a bogus trust deed in Avenfield reference.
Judge Mohammad Bashir had declared anti-corruption watchdog’s appeal as unmaintainable and ruled that no action can be taken in this regard until the decision of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Maryam’s petition against the Avenfield properties verdict.
On July 6, 2018, accountability judge Mohammad Bashir had convicted former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz in Avenfield properties reference and sentenced them 10 years and 07 years imprisonment, respectively.
In the verdict, judge Bashir had declared that “The trust deeds produced by the accused Maryam Nawaz were also found bogus… In view of the role of this accused Maryam Nawaz, she is convicted and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for seven years with fine of two million pounds.”
She was arrested and shifted to Adiala jail. Later, in September 2018, she was released from jail after the Islamabad High Court suspended her prison sentence.
