SADIQABAD, July 6: Former Tehsil Nazim Mian Bashir Ahmed, who was in custody of Muslim Town police, Lahore, since June 27, was granted bail by the Model Town civil judge on Wednesday. Mian Bashir had allegedly submitted a bogus matriculation certificate with the authorities concerned for contesting the local bodies polls for tehsil nazim’s slot in March 2001. He had also secured a license for pharmaceutical business on the basis of the ‘bogus’ certificate.

The authenticity of the certificate was challenged by his rival in the local bodies polls Mir Fazal Elahi Fazli with a request to declare his (Mian Bashir’s) election as void.

Mr Fazali had contented that Mian Bashir, who had also been thrice elected as municipal chairman prior to introduction of local governments, had submitted the bogus certificate for becoming eligible for contesting the elections. Mr Fazli claimed that Mian Bashir had failed in the SSC examination held by Multan Board in 1973. Later, he claimed to have appeared in the same examination held by Lahore Board in 1974, but a probe by the election authorities revealed that the certificate was bogus.

Later, during the litigation, Mian Bashir reportedly claimed that he had qualified for the requisite certificate from a religious institution. It was further revealed from the relevant records that he had also submitted the ‘bogus’ certificate for running a medical store in 1978. The anti-corruption department got registered an FIR against him at Muslim Town police station. He had been granted an interim bail in the case, which was later cancelled after hearing on June 27 by the court of Lahore additional sessions judge.