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LAHORE, Sept 9: An accountability court on Monday adjourned the hearing of a reference against Jahangir Badr for Sept 17 after completion of cross-examination of a prosecution witness by Badr.
The court had earlier allowed the accused to cross-examine the prosecution witness on his request as Badr himself is a law graduate.
The accused was allegedly involved in 52 illegal appointments during his tenure of public office as federal minister for petroleum and natural resources. Pervez Aziz Khan, ex-general manager, SNGPL, is the first witness of the prosecution in a reference against Jahangir Badr, who had allegedly made a number of appointments in violation of rules and regulations, awarded LPG contracts, petrol pumps and failed to check award of a big contract given in violation of merit. He will be cross-examined again by Badr on the next hearing.
EX-CBR OFFICIAL: An accountability court extended physical remand of the former chief central excise, CBR, Islamabad, for three days and adjourned the hearing for Sept 12. The court on an application of the defence counsel for plea bargain directed that the accused would discuss the matter of plea bargain with his counsel during these three days on court premises. The NAB has also filed an application for extension in physical remand of the accused for 15 days which will be discussed on next hearing.
The accused was allegedly involved in a reference of corruption and making illegal assets beyond his known sources.
The NAB had earlier moved an application in the court that the accused was a habitual criminal and gradually confesses. And he confessed two cars and shares in two sugar mills and also reluctant to cooperate to produce the record. The NAB had also informed the court that the accused also had two accounts in Karachi but reluctant to give any clue, and his son was studying in America with his father’s financing. The accused also had immovable assets in Hyderabad, Peshawar and Quetta.—APP
