Money laundering case: Lahore court grants interim bail to Suleman Shehbaz

• Court approved bail till January 7 against Rs500,000 bail bonds
• Suleman said court declared him absconder without following procedure
• PM's son ended self-exile last month, announcing to face the cases

LAHORE: An accountability court granted interim bail to Suleman Shehbaz in the money laundering case until January 7 and directed that he be included in the investigation of the money laundering case against him.

The special court (central) granted bail to the PM's son against bail bonds worth Rs500,000.

Suleman Shehbaz had filed a bail plea in the court naming FIA and investigation officers as parties. Suleman stated in the application that the court needed to fulfill legal procedures before declaring him an absconder.

Suleman argued that the FIA named him in the money laundering case without any baselessly, adding that he did not receive any notices of court hearings and was declared an absconder without information.

Amid the hearing, the judge demanded Suleman's CNIC, to which he said he did not have it now; however, he ensured that he would bring it to the next hearing.

The court said they needed the CNIC today and that everyone should always have their CNICs with them. Later, the court granted him interim bail until January 7.

Suleman refused to speak to the media after the hearing, saying it was Friday and he did not want to indulge in any political discussion.

The PM's son ended his self-exile last month and announced he would face the cases against himself.

An accountability court declared Suleman a proclaimed offender in October 2019.

The orders came after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor told the court that the suspect had failed to appear before the anti-graft body despite being summoned several times in connection with an inquiry into money laundering and possession of assets beyond known sources of income.