A court has handed over Zameer Abbasi, an accused in the BRT Yellow Line corruption case, to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a five-day physical remand. The decision came after a hearing held on Tuesday.
In its written order, the court directed investigators to keep Abbasi in custody for further questioning. The order stated that NAB required additional time to advance the investigation.
According to the investigating officer, authorities arrested Abbasi in Lahore on June 22. Subsequently, a court in Lahore granted a four-day transit remand. It also ordered officials to present him before the competent court by June 24.
During the proceedings, the investigating officer requested physical remand to question the accused further. The court then asked Abbasi whether he had faced any mistreatment during custody.
Abbasi did not report any physical abuse. However, he alleged that authorities had kept him in illegal detention and caused him mental distress for nearly 12 days.
Meanwhile, defense lawyers strongly opposed the remand request. They argued that serious flaws existed in both the inquiry and arrest process. Furthermore, they informed the court that Abbasi’s father had filed a missing person report. He had also submitted a petition regarding his son’s alleged disappearance in Lahore.
The court order noted that investigators are examining alleged financial irregularities in the BRT Yellow Line project. The project operates under the Karachi Mobility Project with support from an international financial institution.
The inquiry specifically focuses on alleged irregularities linked to the construction of Jam Sadiq Bridge and two depots. Moreover, the court observed that the defense objections were largely documentary in nature.
It added that questions surrounding the arrest and inquiry require detailed examination. Nevertheless, the court found sufficient material to justify further investigation. Therefore, it granted a five-day remand and ordered investigators to present Abbasi on June 27 with a progress report.
