MULTAN, Dec 7: The special anti-corruption judge granted bail on Saturday to an executive engineer (XEN) of the Buildings Department facing charges of embezzlement in the construction of Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology in Multan.

Sources said the Anti-Corruption Establishment produced XEN Riaz Ahmed before the senior civil judge court for physical remand. But Special Anti-Corruption judge Izharul Haq Alvi directed the ACE to present the accused in his court. When the team produced the accused before him, Mr Alvi granted bail to Riaz and subsequently he was released.

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) lodged a first information report against nine people, including XENs Riaz Ahmed and Sheikh Ejaz Ahmed, Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) Chaudhry Muhammad Younis, SDO Ejaz Butt, Sub-Engineer (SE) Iqbal Ahmed Khan, SE Muhammad Yousaf and the owners of Farid Construction Company, Salam Construction Company and Sahfiq Construction Company.

The ACE learnt in Jan 2007 that the officials had embezzled millions in the construction of Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology. The ACE launched an inquiry into the issue, but the then government stopped the process.

Later, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif made an audit team that had reported the embezzlement of millions.

The ACE is after other accused.