SAHIWAL: A special judge of the anti-corruption court has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khawar Maneka, the ex-husband of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and his son Musa Maneka, for not appearing in the court in a land grab and tax evasion case.

Special Judge Asif Bashir directed the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Okara, to arrest both suspects and present them in court on July 9.

The judge had summoned Maneka and his son on June 7, but they did not appear so he fixed June 12 for the next hearing. As none of them appeared in court, the judge issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for them.

Khawar Maneka and his sons Musa and Ibrahim were indicted in corruption cases in light of a reference filed by the Okara deputy commissioner on August 23 2023.

As per the prosecution, Maneka had allegedly illegally constructed 26 shops and a marriage hall on a four-kanal piece of land meant for Pir Islam Graveyard in Haveli Lakha without map approval.

It is also alleged that Maneka received Rs26 million in rent from the shops so far, but paid no tax. The FIR was registered against Maneka and others under sections 409 (Criminal breach of trust by a public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (Using as genuine a forged document).

Officials from the revenue, auqaf and excise departments allegedly helped Mr Maneka in “grabbing the land”.

It is also alleged in the FIR that Maneka occupied graveyard land with a market value of Rs100 million without paying a Rs13.2m conversion fee.

After registration of the case, Maneka tried to flee the country from Lahore airport, but he was arrested by the Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) as his name was included in the no-fly list. Later, the FIA handed him over to the ACE Okara, which issued his arrest warrant on September 14, 2023.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2024