LAHORE: A special anti-corruption court on Monday expressed its displeasure at the investigating officer for not presenting the record of a case of alleged illegal appointments in the Punjab Assembly against PTI President Parvez Elahi.

Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta was hearing a petition of Mr Elahi seeking post-arrest bail in the case registered by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE).

The investigating officer (IO) appeared before the court and sought time to furnish the case record.

Advocate Amir Saeed Rawn, a counsel for Elahi, argued that the anti-corruption authorities were intentionally not presenting the case record in court as the prosecution wanted to delay the bail proceedings.

The judge directed the IO to submit the case record on Nov 10 and remarked that the court would decide the bail application on merit if the record was not presented at the next hearing.

In this case, Mr Elahi is accused of making illegal appointments in the assembly and receiving kickbacks.

The ACE alleged that successful candidates had been denied the job and those who had not even sat the examination had been appointed.

It said Elahi, being then chief minister, misused his authority and influenced the appointment process, allegedly after taking bribe from the beneficiaries.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2023