A court in Lahore has approved the closure of the corruption investigation against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case, granting a major legal relief to the two political figures.
The decision was issued by an accountability court after it approved a request submitted by the National Accountability Bureau to formally terminate the inquiry into the case.
According to court proceedings, the anti-corruption watchdog informed the court that the investigation had not produced evidence of corruption or illegal assets against the former prime minister and the Punjab chief minister.
Accountability Court Judge Rana Arif announced the verdict after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defence regarding the bureau’s application seeking closure of the probe.
The inquiry had been launched over allegations of money laundering and assets beyond known sources of income linked to business dealings involving Chaudhry Sugar Mills, where Maryam Nawaz was listed among the major shareholders.
During the hearing, prosecutors told the court that under amended accountability laws and the available record, the bureau had concluded that the case did not establish corruption or corrupt practices against the accused.
The court ruled that the decision to close the investigation was in line with legal provisions and allowed the termination report submitted by the anti-corruption body.
The ruling also cleared the way for Maryam Nawaz to withdraw the Rs70 million surety bond that had been deposited when she secured post-arrest bail in the case.
The case dates back to 2018, when the National Accountability Bureau initiated an inquiry into the financial affairs of Chaudhry Sugar Mills.
Maryam Nawaz was arrested in August 2019 during the investigation while visiting her father at Kot Lakhpat Jail. She was later granted bail by the Lahore High Court in November 2019, which required her to surrender her passport and deposit the financial guarantee with the court.
Subsequently, following legal developments and amendments in accountability laws, the investigation authorities concluded that the case did not warrant further proceedings, leading to the request for closure of the inquiry.
With the court’s approval of the termination report, the long-running Chaudhry Sugar Mills case against Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz has now been formally closed.