The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday in a reply to PPP MNA Sharjeel Inam Memon's contempt of court petition against the anti-corruption watchdog maintained that the former minister's arrest outside the Sindh High Court (SHC) was within the bounds of the law.

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 an abuse of power as provincial information minister. NAB officials had also arrested 11 co-accused in the case.

In a request submitted before the court in November, the former minister challenged a memorandum issued after his arrest which stated that Memon was arrested outside the SHC. He maintained that he was arrested within the court, which is legally not permissible.

The NAB prosecutor who submitted the bureau's reply to the trial court today denied Memon's claims and said that the arrest was made in line with the law after the suspect's bail was rejected by the SHC, and after all suspects had left the court.

The written reply also pointed out that even if the bureau was guilty of contempt against the SHC, a trial court does not hold the authority to deal with the issue.