LAHORE: A special court on Thursday dismissed post-arrest bail petition of former principal secretary to chief minister Muhammad Khan Bhatti in a case of embezzlement in the Punjab Assembly funds.

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) registered a case against Bhatti, who also served as assembly secretary.

Bhatti’s counsel argued that the ACE lodged the case against his client on political grounds at the behest of the government. He said the ACE registered back to back cases against the petitioner only to frustrate his release on bail.

A prosecutor opposed the bail petition and argued that a documentary evidence was available on record to prove corruption of the suspect in the assembly funds.

After hearing both sides, Judge Ali Raza dismissed the bail petition.

Bhatti, who is believed to be a confidant of former chief minister Parvez Elahi, is on judicial remand in various cases of alleged corruption.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2023