LAHORE, Oct 14: An accountability court on Monday granted a pre-arrest bail to four accused in a Rs80.51 million corruption reference upon furnishing Rs1,00,000 worth bail bonds. Seth Nisar and his 11 associates had been named in the reference.

Co-accused in the case —- two officials of the Customs Department Sakhi Muhammad (principal appraiser) and Muhammad Saleem (superintendent) and two directors of Irfan Seamless Pipe Company Muhammad Irfan and Nisaruddin —- appeared before the court on Monday.

The four accused argued that the NAB chairman had not issued arrest warrants for them in the reference, therefore, they could not be arrested by the NAB. It was further pleaded that the arrest warrants issued by the court had not been served on them as yet. Rather they had learnt about the issuance of arrest warrants through press reports.

On these grounds, the accused pleaded for a pre-arrest bail in the reference which was allowed by the court. Further proceedings would resume on the next hearing.