LAHORE: A judicial magistrate on Wednesday remanded the principal secretary to former chief minister, Muhammad Khan Bhatti, in the three-day physical custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) while a special court released him post-arrest bail in a case of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE). The FIA produced Bhatti before the magistrate seeking his physical remand.

After going through the record presented by the prosecution, Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza Virk observed that sufficient incriminating material in the shape of the amount recovered from the suspect. The magistrate granted three-day physical remand of the suspect to the FIA with a direction to produce him again on March 25.

Earlier, a special court for anti-corruption allowed the bail petition of Bhatti subject to furnishing surety bonds of Rs5 million.

The ACE accused Bhatti of taking bribes for making transfers and postings of government officials and for issuing funds for the development projects.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2023