PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa anti-corruption establishment has asked the commissioners of Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan divisions and the director-general of the excise department to confiscate the properties of former member of the National Assembly Zafar Baig Bittani following the upholding of his conviction in a corruption case by the Supreme Court.
ACE officials told Dawn that a court had acquitted Bittani on the charge of possessing assets beyond known sources of his income but the verdict was challenged by the state in the Peshawar High Court, which convicted the former lawmaker of corruption in 2011.
They said an appeal against that conviction was dismissed by the apex court of late.
The officials said the value of those properties was assessed to be around Rs3.4 billion.
ACE writes letters to Peshawar, DI Khan commissioners, DG (excise) for action
ACE director Arif Khan Yousafzai told Dawn that his anti-graft organisation had asked the commissioners of Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan as well as the director-general of the excise department to follow the court’s orders in the corruption case.
“We have written to both commissioners and DG (excise) to confiscate properties of former MNA Zafar Baig Bittani,” he told Dawn.
Officials said a case was initiated against Bittani, a former Xen of the communication and works department, Peshawar, on the allegation of amassing assets beyond known sources of his income.
They said following the completion of investigation and other legal formalities, the case was sent to the court for trial but the accused was acquitted on Sept 12, 2000, prompting the state to appeal the decision at the Peshawar High Court.
The officials said the high court found the accused guilty of corruption and awarded him three years rigorous imprisonment and Rs5 million fine on Oct 26, 2011.
The documents available with Dawn showed that the court issued orders for confiscating land measuring 2,453 kanals and four marlas in Sourazai Bala village of Peshawar, Bithani Arcade in the University Town Peshawar, two kanals and five marlas land (with a structure built on it) on the Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Road, University Town, Peshawar, 64 kanals and 12 marlas land in Tank village, and a jeep.
They also revealed that the accused’s appeal against the PHC’s decision was rejected by the Supreme Court on Feb 7 with observation that the high court’s judgement was well-reasoned and required no interference.
It, however, declared that as the convict was 80, the amount of Rs5 million fine was doubled in lieu of three years rigorous imprisonment and that it should be paid within two months of conviction.
Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2023