Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah acquitted in narcotics case

LAHORE – A special court in the provincial capital Lahore on Saturday acquitted Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah in a narcotics case filed against him during the Imran Khan-led government.

The judge of the Special Court for Control of Narcotics Substances announced the verdict, hours after the senior PML-N leader filed the petition, seeking acquittal in the case.

During today’s hearing, ANF Assistant Director Imtiaz Cheema apprised the court that no drugs were recovered in his presence, saying they were ‘pressured’ for lodging the case.

The case was then dismissed as ANF counsel responded in the negative when the judge asked about any objection to acquit the interior minister. 

Sanaullah moved court, maintaining that case against him was ‘concocted and fabricated’, saying the prosecution failed to bring any piece of evidence against them.

He said the ousted government booked him in a narcotics case as political revenge. In 2019, Sanaullah, a close aide of the PML-N chief, was detained by the Anti-Narcotics Force while he was traveling from Faisalabad to Lahore near the Ravi Toll Plaza on the motorway.

Officials claimed to have seized 15kgs of heroin from his car. Five others, including his driver and security guards, were also detained.