SARGODHA: Sargodha Jail Superintendent Javed Iqbal Khichi was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) for allegedly extorting Rs1 million and a residential plot worth Rs6 million from ex-mayor Malik Naveed Aslam for providing him illegal facilities during his detention in the prison.

According to officials, the ex-mayor was arrested by the ACE on charges of illegally occupying state land worth millions and selling it to different people, showing it as as part of his housing colony and registered a case (No 15/2020) against him. The suspect was sent by the court to Sargodha Jail on judicial remand on November 18, 2020.

They said during the imprisonment, Jail superintendent Mr Khichi, along with Deputy Superintendent Imran Butt, jail hospital dispenser Samar Abbas and other employees provided VIP protocol to the suspect.

They said the jail staffers allowed the suspect to use the residence, office and personal landline telephone of the jail superintendent, and was kept in hospital. The suspect, who was affiliated with the PML-N, was also allowed to meet with some local politicians, the officials added.

They said the ex-mayor was provided a personal servant in violation of the jail manual and law of the land.

The ex-mayor was granted bail and after his release from the jail, he apprised the ACE officials that the superintendent and his accomplices extorted one million rupees in cash and a residential plot from him for illegally providing him these facilities.

In a probe the allegations of corruption and corrupt practices were proved against the suspects, after which the ACE arrested Khichi while raids were on for the arrest of his four accomplices.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2021