RAWALPINDI, Feb 26: An accused in the multi-billion scam of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority became an approver on Tuesday against his former chairman, Tauqir Sadiq.

Accountability Court of Rawalpindi accepted the application of Shahzad Saleem Bhatti, the legal adviser of Mr Sadiq, to become an approver.

The court also directed NAB officials to produce Mr Sadiq on Feb 28 before the court.

On Tuesday, Chaudhry Shahid Naseer, the judge of the court, resumed the hearing of Ogra corruption case. The case is about extending undue favours to private companies by Mr Sadiq which caused Rs82 billion loss to the national exchequer.

During the course of the hearing in the case, Mr Bhatti filed an application before the court for becoming an approver in the case.

He informed the court that he would cooperate with officials investigating the multi-billion-rupee corruption scam.

On Dec 30, last year, the NAB team arrested Mr Bhatti, the son of PPP MPA from Burewala city, Sardar Khalid Saleem Bhatti. He was allegedly a frontman for Mr Sadiq and allegedly received more than Rs50 million from different parties to get their licences approved for opening CNG stations from the office of the Ogra chairman.

According to prosecution, Mr Bhatti allegedly received Rs3 million each from Muhammad Iqbal Bhatti, Muhammad Saleem Chohan of Arifwala, Muhammad Shafique Butt of Muzaffargarh, Mirza Shahzad Ahmad of Burewala, Sprint Energy of Bahawalnagar and other parties.

He also submitted before the court to ‘voluntary return’ Rs6 million in the shape of a pay order in favour of NAB chairman.

During the course of the hearing, the court also inquired about the arrest of principal accused Mr Sadiq.

The Additional Deputy Prosecutor General of NAB, Sheikh Ghulam Abbas, told the court that the Investigating officer of the case is in United Arab Emirates for the execution of warrants and for arrest of Mr Sadiq.

The court adjourned the hearing of the case till Feb 28.