ISLAMABAD: The accountability court in Lahore has extended the physical remand of former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi until September 2 in a case related to alleged corruption in development schemes.
The court heard a case brought forward by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) regarding the said corruption. It also requested the NAB to provide the investigation report during the next hearing.
Chaudhry Parvez Elahi challenged his arrest by the NAB in the Lahore High Court. The petition names the Punjab IGP, NAB, FIA, and other parties.
The petition contends that the NAB issued an arrest warrant and executed it without legal grounds. Additionally, it escalated the inquiry into an investigation without issuing a call-up notice or providing sufficient time for a statement.
The petition seeks the Lahore High Court’s declaration of the NAB’s arrest as null and void. It also calls for an order to prevent any undisclosed case-related arrest of Parvez Elahi.
During the NAB case proceedings against the former CM on alleged corruption in development schemes, lawyer Amjad Pervaiz argued that Chaudhry Moonis Elahi’s actions should not hold his father responsible. He emphasized that Moonis Elahi operates independently and is self-reliant, a stance supported by higher court verdicts.
Pervaiz demanded the prosecution to produce documents pertinent to the significant allegations they had made.
accountability court in Lahore
The accountability court in Lahore has reserved its judgment regarding the application for Parvez Elahi’s physical remand, which the NAB had requested.
Elahi’s lawyer sought the declaration of his client’s arrest as illegal.
A NAB report unveiled that during his tenure as chief minister, PTI President Elahi misused his position and approved 116 schemes for Gujrat, his hometown. The report stated that Parvez Elahi engaged in corruption by supporting these schemes for vested interests and favoring specific contractors. He allegedly used his influence to award contracts and received kickbacks through a frontman.
The NAB further claimed that Elahi initiated numerous unnecessary development schemes in Gujrat and redirected funds from other projects.
