LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday remanded Lahore Development Authority’s former head Ahad Khan Cheema in 11-day custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for interrogation on the charges of misuse of power and illegal award of contract for Lahore’s Ashiyana-i-Iqbal housing scheme.

Additional security measures had been taken by the personnel of the NAB and police at the Lahore Judicial Complex before Mr Cheema was brought to court by a special vehicle.

Police did not allow cameramen of television channels to enter the complex and also restricted reporters from attending court proceedings citing ‘security’ reasons. A number of bureaucrats were also present inside and outside the court to express solidarity with their arrested colleague who currently heads two power companies.

The NAB had arrested Mr Cheema from his Gulberg office on Wednesday after he failed to comply with summons.

During a closed-door hearing, the investigating officer sought a 14-day physical remand of the LDA’s former director general from the court and also filed a written application to the effect.

The application stated that Mr Cheema misused his authority and with criminal intent awarded contract of Ashiyana-i-Iqbal housing scheme, a project of around Rs14 billion, to Lahore Casa Developer in violation of the procurement laws.

It said Mr Cheema received illegal gratification in the form of 32-kanal land valuing Rs30 million approximately from the owners of Paragon City (pvt) Limited, which is said to be developed by railways minister Khwaja Saad Rafiq. It further said Mr Cheema was given a fair opportunity to explain the allegations against him but he failed to come up with any satisfactory reply.

The IO told the court that physical remand of the suspect was required for completion of the investigation of the scam, arrest of his co-suspect(s) and recovery of the plundered money.

The presiding judge, Muhammad Azam, gave 11-day remand of the suspect to the NAB and directed the IO to complete investigation by next hearing.

Meanwhile, NAB spokesman issued a statement clarifying that no illegality had been committed in arresting Mr Cheema. He said the NAB had no discriminatory policy and regarded respect of every individual. He further said arrest warrants were duly presented to Mr Cheema before his arrest and he had been provided with medicine, food and all other necessary items permitted under the law.

The spokesman made it clear that portfolio of any individual could not become hurdle in the due course of law and action by the NAB. Declaring anyone guilty or not was the jurisdiction of court, he concluded.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2018