ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau is reported to have been sitting for months on four references relating to the Rs82 billion rental power projects (RPPs) scam. “The NAB Rawalpindi region sent draft references on four RPP cases to the bureau’s headquarters four months ago for approval and filing in court, but so far no decision has been taken,” inside sources told Dawn on Sunday.

A senior NAB official said that besides the Naudero-I power project case which was being tried in an accountability court, the bureau’s Rawalpindi region had completed investigation into four other projects and sent their draft references to the headquarters in September last year.

They include Naudero-II, Piraghaib and Sahuwal power projects and a Turkish power plant called Karkey. According to sources, NAB cannot file reference on the Turkish plant because of international arbitration.

Nine RPP firms had won contract in 2008 to install power projects. They received more than Rs82 billion as mobilisation advance from the government to commission the projects. But only a few of them were installed, after an inordinate delay, but nothing was heard about the others.

NAB said it was investigating 12 cases relating to the RPP scam.

Under the procedure, after completion of investigation a case is first sent to the NAB headquarters and then placed before its executive board. The case is then referred to the NAB chairman for his approval and then filed in an accountability court.

When contacted, NAB spokesman Ramzan Sajid said: “Three new references will be placed before the executive board at a meeting to be held soon.”

He did not name the RPPs on which the references are being finalised, but inside sources said they were Naudero-II, Piraghaib and Sahuwal projects.

The spokesman admitted that the four references had been sent to the NAB Headquarters some months ago. “These are being reviewed by investigation and prosecution wings of the bureau from different angles.”

Another NAB official said the references were delayed because NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry had gone on a leave on Nov 22 last year after the Supreme Court had ordered investigation against him for his alleged involvement in the NICL scam. NAB Prosecutor General K.K. Agha, he added, also went on leave.

On Friday, an accountability court indicted former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and nine others in a case relating to the RPP scam.

Mr Ashraf is accused of having received kickbacks and commission in the RPPs deal when he was minister for water and power in 2008.