PESHAWAR: An accountability court on Thursday approved an application of an owner of three steel mills who agreed to pay his dues after wilfully defaulting on electricity bills worth Rs30 million.

The application of voluntary return of the suspect, Noorul Hassan, has already been accepted by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and was referred to the court for final approval.

Judge Mohammad Asim Imam directed that after payment of the amount the suspect should be set free.

The suspect is owner of three industries namely M/s Afandi Steels, M/s Ghazi Steels and Ahmad Steel Re-rolling industry situated at Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate.

He was arrested on June 15 by NAB for wilfully defaulting on electricity bills worth Rs30 million, causing a loss to the national exchequer. The NAB alleged that despite several notices he had refused to pay his dues.

The NAB and Ministry of Water and Power recently have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to recover dues to the tune of Rs65 billion from the defaulters of the Peshawar Electric Supply Company and Tribal Electric Supply Company.

The NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa claims that further inquiry is being actively pursued by it and more arrests of the electricity defaulters are expected soon.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2016