KARACHI: An accountability court has remanded three suspects, including an official of the National Accountability Bureau, for allegedly taking a Rs31 million bribe from a health official.

NAB arrested Zain-ul-Abedin, who is currently serving as an assistant private secretary at the NAB-Karachi, Osama Younus and Aijaz Ali for their alleged involvement in corruption and corrupt practices.

The investigating officer, Irfan Ali, produced the suspects before the administrative judge of the accountability courts, Abdul Ghani Soomro, to seek their physical remand in the custody of NAB for interrogation and investigation.

Special Public Prosecutor Syed Dilshad Hussain submitted that Aijaz Ali was arrested in connection with an inquiry into the offence of alleged corruption and corrupt practices and accumulation of assets beyond known means of income launched against Zain-ul-Abedin and others.

He said that suspect Ali had allegedly given gratification of Rs31m to NAB official Zain-ul-Abedin, who was already being interrogated.

He further submitted that Ali, stated to be serving as a junior clerk in the District Health Office, Dadu, was also involved in several other cases of similar nature and was required to be thoroughly investigated for which his physical remand was required.

The prosecutor requested that 14-day physical remand of the three suspects be granted to the IO for interrogation and completion of investigation.

On the other hand, the defence counsel for the suspects opposed the IO’s request for physical remand of the suspect in the custody of NAB.

After hearing arguments, the judge remanded all the suspects in the custody of NAB for 10 days directing the IO to conclude the inquiry at the earliest and submit a progress report on the next date.

In the meanwhile, the judge also directed the IO to submit a report regarding health condition of suspect Ali on the next date.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2021