LAHORE, July 23: The National Accountability Bureau, Punjab, withdrew on Tuesday corruption charges against Farrukh Javed Ghumman, former MPA and Sargodha zila council chairman, and his two alleged accomplices.

Mr Ghumman was accused of causing a loss of Rs24.38 million.

The accountability court concerned was submitted an application signed by the NAB chairman directing the Bureau not to prosecute Mr Ghumman and two zila council contractors, Zafarullah Khan and Nasir Ahmad Khan, for lack of incriminating evidence.

The prosecution cited Supreme Court verdict in the Asfandyar Wali case, and Section 9(c) of the NAB Ordinance according to which the NAB chairman could order a case to be closed at any time, with the consent of the court.

Allowing the application, the court ordered the forthwith release of the accused if not required in any other case.

Mr Ghumman had been sentenced to three years RI by an accountability court earlier this year on charges of amassing assets disproportionate to his known income. Mr Ghumman claimed that he had already served the sentence.

During the previous hearing the prosecution had informed the court that the NAB chairman had refused to sign the reference. in view of certain objections. According to the NAB, the three accused had submitted an application pleading their innocence. They had also submitted some documents in support of their contention, which they said had not been considered by the investigating officer.

REFERENCE: The reference had alleged that Mr Ghumman, with the active abetment of the co-accused, misused his official position to get constructed six community centres, three roads and two tubewell operators’ quarters out of public funds. Mr Ghumman was also accused of getting two tubewells installed on his land for personal use out of state funds at a cost of Rs2.38 million. According to the NAB, the tubewells were later transferred in his name for just Rs20,000.

He was also accused of abetting the two co-accused in making Rs7 million at the cost of Sargodha Zila Council. The reference said rate of fee on transfer of immovable property for 1991-92 was enhanced from 2.5 per cent to 4 per cent but the amount collected was misappropriated by the two contractors.

Mr Ghumman was accused of receiving Rs15 million for allowing the contractors to misappropriate the proportionate increase in the exit tax on nine scheduled items.