Former Sindh information minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Monday challenged his arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from outside the Sindh High Court on October 23 while appearing in an accountability court for a hearing.

Memon was taken into custody by a NAB team on Oct 23 after the Sindh High Court (SHC) rejected his bail plea in a corruption case pertaining to the award of advertisements at 'exorbitant rates' through the abuse of power he held as provincial information minister. NAB officials had also arrested 11 co-accused in the case.

In a request submitted before the court today, the former minister challenged the memorandum issued after his arrest on the basis that it states that Memon was arrested outside the Sindh High Court. Memon has maintained that he was arrested from inside the court — which is legally not permissible.

A lawyer representing Mansoor Ahmed Rajput ─ one of the co-accused ─ told the court that the 12 men had been arrested from within the boundaries of the Sindh High Court, which amounted to contempt.

The lawyer also told the court that his client had been issued bail by the Sindh High Court.

"NAB should have some respect for the high court's orders," he said. "Grade 20 officers are being handcuffed and presented before the court," he added as he requested the court to order the removal of handcuffs from the accused.

The lawyer also told the court that is client is 78 years old and the prison has not been providing him any special medical facilities.

During the hearing of the case, lawyers representing the 11 co-accused in the case also requested the court to grant their clients access to B-class prison cells, which are better in terms of living conditions. The court returned the request, ordering the lawyers of three of the accused to attach their education documents to the request.

The court reserved its verdict on the requests submitted by the remaining accused and adjourned the hearing till Nov 18.