LAHORE: A special anti-corruption court on Wednesday once again delayed the indictment of the suspects in a case of illegal appointments made in the Punjab Assembly, as PTI President Parvez Elahi, a prime suspect, skipped the hearing for medical reasons.

A lawyer representing Mr Elahi submitted an application for a one-time exemption from personal appearance for his client, saying he was unwell and had been advised bed rest by his doctors.

Irked by the absence of the former chief minister, Judge Sardar Iqbal Dogar observed that on every hearing, some of the suspects fail to appear, apparently to delay the framing of the charges.

However, the judge allowed the application of Mr Elahi and delayed the indictment in the case till Nov 13.

Other suspects out on bail were present in court, while Mr Elahi’s jailed co-suspect and his aide, Muhammad Khan Bhatti, was brought from jail for the hearing.

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) registered the FIR alleging that illegal appointments against some BS-17 posts were made in the provincial assembly in 2021 when Elahi was the chief minister and co-suspect Mr Bhatti was his principal secretary.

The prosecution said favourite candidates were appointed against these posts despite being declared failed in the written examination. The appointed candidates had also been nominated as suspects in the case.

Indictment of Mr Elahi in different cases has been delayed by the relevant courts for several months due to his absence at the hearings on medical grounds before and after his release on bail.

Besides the charges of illegal appointments in the assembly, Mr Elahi faces a NAB reference for receiving alleged kickbacks in development funds and a money laundering case registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2024