KARACHI: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday filed a reference against Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, his seven family members and other associates pertaining to assets beyond means of income.

The bureau included names of 20 persons, including Durrani, his wife, son, four daughters, one brother and servants as accused in the reference filed in an accountability court after an inquiry which has been continued for three months and 10 days.

According to the NAB chargesheet, the accused made assets of upto Rs 1.6 billion while some properties have been sold by Durrani.

The chargesheet reveals that there are 35 vehicles and houses in illegal assets made by Durrani, adding that upto 3 tola of gold have been recovered from the locker of Durrani and expensive watches of Rs11 crore have also been recovered from the accused. According to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Durrani showed Rs11 crores of assets since 2007 to 2018.

It said that it had been told that this assets are of land, but during the investigation, Durrani revealed Rs8 crores of income.

According to the chargesheet, there are prosperities, including 11 vehicles, registered in the name of Durrani’s wife, daughters and son in Karachi and Abbtoabad, and the payment of the properties was made through servants.

The court has yet to approve the NAB reference against Agha Siraj and others for hearing. However, NAB officials had informed Sindh High Court on Wednesday that reference will be filed against Durrani and other accused on Thursday.

NAB investigation officer in progress report of the case informed the court that the NAB inquiry had unearthed 35 vehicles owned by Siraj Durrani apart of crores of rupees properties.

He said that the probe against Durrani and co-accused had been completed and evidence about illegal use of authority, illegal recruitment and other corrupt practices had been found. The bureau has also key evidence about his assets beyond known means of income, the NAB investigation officer said. The bench ordered NAB to submit report to the court on June 11 after filing reference against the provincial assembly speaker. The NAB Karachi had arrested Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani from a hotel in Islamabad in February this year.