ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday filed an application in the accountability court seeking initiation of process to declare the spouse of Omni Group’s chief executive officer a proclaimed offender in the Thatta Water Supply reference.

In the reference, the bureau nominated Ejaz Ahmed Khan, former secretary of the Special Initiative Department of Sindh; Hassan Ally Memon, project director/chairman of the procurement committee for the water supply scheme, Thatta; and members of the committee Ali Akbar Abro, Aijaz Ahmed Memon, Athar Nawaz Durrani, Abdul Haleem Memon, Mohammad Farrukh Khan, Mohammad Ramzan, Mohammad Siddiq Sulemani and Zeeshan Hasan Yousaf and private contractor Harish, Omni Group CEO Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, and Menahel Majeed.

NAB contended in its application that since Menahel Majeed, spouse of Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, never appeared before the court since the reference was filed in April this year, therefore, the proceedings to declare her proclaimed offender may commence.

However, the defence counsel informed the court that Ms Majeed had gone abroad even before the commencement of the proceedings in the accountability court and she was not aware of any summons issued to her.

The court adjourned the proceedings till Dec 6.

Ex-secretary Khan as well as the chairman and members of the procurement committee are accused of misusing their authority to award illegally different contracts to private contractors.

The reference alleged that some accused persons created fake accounts and purchased plots with ill-gotten money.

Omni Group CEO Majeed, who is shown as ‘absconder’ in the NAB reference, purchased a plot in the Defence Housing Authority in the name of his spouse Menahel.

NAB has already confiscated the plot.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2019