ISLAMABAD, Oct 1: A three-judge bench of the supreme court on on Monday started hearing of Saeed Mehdi’s petition, former principal secretary to the prime minister, seeking release from jail on bail.

He has been acquitted by the anti-terrorism court in the plane hijacking case, and also by the accountability court at Rawalpindi in the assets case.

He is a co-accused in the polo ground case with Asif Ali Zardari and former chairman Capital Development Authority, Shafi Shewani.

Advocate Wasim Sajjad, counsel for the petitioner, argued that LHC refused him bail on the plea that it had no jurisdiction, even though the supreme court in its judgment on petition challenging NAB ordinance, had held that high courts have the power to grant bail under Article 199 of the Constitution.