LAHORE : An accountability court in Lahore on Thursday indicted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz in Ramzan Sugar Mills case.

Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz appeared in court on Thursday.

As the hearing went underway, both accused pleaded not guilty to all charges read out by Accountability Judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry, terming them baseless.

I served the people of Punjab for 12 years and didn’t take a salary and even money for petrol during the 12-years tenure,” he told the court.

The court has summoned NAB’s witnesses in the case at the next hearing.

Ramzan Sugar Mills case

The NAB has filed a reference accusing former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shahbaz and others for causing losses to the national exchequer and misusing authority by sanctioning construction of a bridge to facilitate the sugar mills.

NAB officials say Shehbaz Sharif, being chief minister of Punjab, misused his authority by issuing directives for the construction of a 10-kilometer-long drain in Chiniot primarily to benefit the sugar mill owned by his sons. Shehbaz and Hamza have been accused of fraudulently causing a Rs 213 million loss to the national exchequer.