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Friday, March 29, 2024

Rana Sanaullah gets clean chit in drugs smuggling case

During the hearing today, ANF Assistant Director Imtiaz Ahmed and Inspector Ehsaan Azam dismissed the charges against Rana Sanaullah, declaring them “wrong”.

In a major development, a Lahore Court has acquitted PML-N leader and Rana Sanaullah in a drugs smuggling case filed against him in 2019.

According to the details, a petition was filed seeking Rana Sanaullah’s acquittal in the case earlier in the day. The petition stated that the case has been filed on political grounds, hence, the PML-N leader should be acquitted.

“The names of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) officials have been used in the case,” he pleaded. “ANF witnesses are not supporting in the case,” according to the petition.

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During the hearing today, ANF Assistant Director Imtiaz Ahmed and Inspector Ehsaan Azam dismissed the charges against Rana Sanaullah, declaring them “wrong”.

Rana Sanaullah drugs case 

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.

Sanaullah remained incarcerated for six months until the Lahore High Court (LHC) granted him bail on December 24, 2019.

A first information report was also lodged under Section 9(C) of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment or a jail term that may extend to 14 years, along with a fine up to Rs1 million.

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It stated that the force had received information that Sanaullah was allegedly involved in drug trafficking and was taking heroin to Lahore.

He was twice denied bail by the trial court but the Lahore High Court released him on Dec 24, 2019.

The then PTI government drew heavy fire from the opposition and was alleged of carrying out a political witch-hunt against rivals. The Imran Khan-led regime, however, denied having a hand in Rana Sanaullah’s arrest.