KARACHI, Oct 24: A division bench of the Sindh High Court, on Wednesday, grated bail to applicant Brig Aslam Hayat Qureshi against a surety of Rs10 million on the ground of consistency.

The bench comprised Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Muhammed Ashraf Leghari.

The applicant had sought bail in NAB case reference no 38/2000 pending trial before Accountability Court No 1.

The reference pertained to alleged sale of rice belonging to Rice Export Corporation of Pakistan at low rates, causing huge loss to the national exchequer.

The applicant was in custody for more than a year and maximum sentence prescribed under the law is 14 years’ RI only.

Counsel for the applicant, while relying on various case laws, submitted that the amendment made in Section 497 Cr.P.C through the aforesaid ordinance would have no retrospective effect. The court noted that the federal counsel had nothing to argue on this contention.