LAHORE: PML-N lawmaker Rana Sanaullah Khan on Wednesday moved the Lahore High Court for post-arrest bail in a drug case made against him by Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF).

A special court for Control of Narcotics Substance had on Sept 20 dismissed bail petition of Sanaullah while released five co-suspects.

Filed through Advocate Azam Nazir Tarar, the bail petition argued that the case was politically motivated and based on mala fide intention. It said the recovery of narcotics attributed to the petitioner was just an eyewash.

It argued that the prosecution failed to present any independent witness of the alleged recovery from the petitioner. It said no video evidence had been presented before the trial court despite a claim by a state minister.

The petition argued that the three-hour delay in registration of the FIR made the entire case a concocted story.

Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi will take up the bail petition of Mr Khan on Thursday (today).

Meanwhile, the trial court extended judicial remand of Rana Sana till Oct 9 and directed the investigating officer and the defence counsel to complete identification of the suspect’s vehicles.

The court ordered that the IO and the defence counsel would visit the headquarters of Punjab Safe City Authority (PSCA) on Thursday to complete the identification process.

Earlier, PSCA Chief Operative Officer Akbar Nasir appeared before the court and stated they could not recognise the vehicles unless registration numbers were provided to them.

He said record of the cameras had already been preserved as directed by the court.

Talking to media, Rana Sana questioned delay in nomination of a regular judge for the trial court.

He said the government got the trial judge changed through Whatsapp and now wanted to get a judge of its own choice.

He claimed the government also rejected later nominations by the LHC challenging the independence of judiciary.

He lamented that the only priority of Imran government was to ensure trials of opposition leaders by judges of its own choice and depriving them of basic facilities in jails.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2019