KARACHI: An accountability court on Wednesday deferred indictment of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani and 18 other suspects in a reference pertaining to alleged unlawful accumulation of assets worth Rs1.61 billion.

Mr Durrani, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau in an Islamabad hotel on Feb 20 for investigation into his alleged movable and immovable assets beyond his known sources of income, making 352 illegal appointments, embezzlement of public funds in the construction of the MPA Hostel and the new Sindh Assembly building, as well as the appointment of project directors for these schemes.

The federal anti-graft watchdog named Mr Durrani, his spouse, children, brother and others for allegedly possessing assets worth around Rs1.61bn made through illegal means.

On Wednesday, the accountability court-III judge Dr Sher Bano Karim was set to frame the charge against the suspects.

However, defence counsel for two suspects — Shamshad Khatoon and Zulfiqar Dahar — informed that their clients had tested positive for Covid-19 and were currently under quarantine until their recoveries.

They asked the court to adjourn the hearing to a later date.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2020