PESHAWAR, June 3: The Peshawar High Court on Monday allowed bail to a former chief minister, Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, in the Ring Road land acquisition scam. This was the last case pending against Mr Sherpao before the accountability court.

A single bench comprising Justice Shahjehan Khan Yousafzai accepted the bail application and directed that the accused-applicant should be released after furnishing four sureties of Rs500,000 each.

After completion of legal requirements, the accused will be released on Tuesday from the Central Prison. He was arrested on Jan 6 by the National Accountability Bureau at Peshawar International Airport on his return from the United Kingdom.

Till now the PHC has not extended this facility in any of the accountability cases.

“After going through the detailed judgment we will decide whether to file bail cancellation application before the Supreme Court or not,” NAB Deputy Prosecutor-General Mian Fasihul Mulk told Dawn.

The accused in the land acquisition case are charged with inflicting a loss of over Rs310 million to the exchequer. According to the chargesheet, they had fraudulently and dishonestly fixed compensation of land situated in Mahal Lala Ahmad and the Saloo village at inflated and exorbitant rates.

Advocates Zafar Abbas Zaidi and Aneesa Zaib Tahirkheli appeared for the applicant, whereas Additional Advocate-General Imtiaz Ali and Khalid Khan represented the NAB.

Mr Zaidi argued that the applicant did not hold the chief minister’s office when the plan was executed.

He contended that the only charge against the applicant was that he had not given approval to a summary for filing an appeal against the fixation of exorbitant rates.

The counsel contended that when the summary was moved before the applicant the filing of appeal was already time barred. Moreover, he added, the applicant was not a competent authority for filing the appeal and, in fact, a committee had to decide the matter. He argued that the Provincial Urban Development Board was responsible for the filing of appeal against fixation of rates.

The government lawyers opposed his contentions and stated that the trial was in the final stage and the accused should not be released on bail.

After conclusion of arguments, the court pronounced its short order.

Apart from the applicant, a former senator, Haji Gul Sher, a former tehsildar, Mosam Khan, and Patwaris Nisar Mohammad and Dilawar Khan have been facing the trial. Five other accused, including former provincial minister Habibullah Kundi, are absconding.

Mr Sherpao has already been acquitted in the cases of illegal appointments in education department and allotment of plots in Hayatabad Township. His sentence in absentia of three years imprisonment was also set aside by the high court.