A special court in Lahore on Saturday acquitted Interior Minister Rana Sanullah in a narcotics case filed against him during the PTI government’s tenure.
The minister was arrested in July 2019 under the previous government by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF). It had claimed to have recovered 15kg of heroin from his vehicle.
During the hearing today, ANF Assistant Director Imtiaz and Inspector Ehsaan dismissed the charges against Sanaullah, declaring them “wrong”.
Separately, the witnesses in the case also submitted their affidavits in court. They stated that the said drugs were not recovered in their presence.
Subsequently, the court acquitted the interior minister and all the other people named in the case.
Earlier today, Sanaullah approached the court with a plea. It stated that the case against the minister was “concocted, devised and fabricated”.
Sanaullah was arrested on July 1, 2019 by the ANF Lahore team while he was travelling from Faisalabad to Lahore near the Ravi Toll Plaza on the motorway. He was accused of carrying 15kg of heroin in his vehicle. Five others, including the driver and security guards of the PML-N leader, were also arrested.
A first information report was lodged under Section 9(C) of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997, which carries death penalty or life imprisonment or a jail term that may extend to 14 years, along with a fine up to Rs1 million.
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.
Rana Sanaullah acquitted in narcotics case
