LAHORE, Aug 29: An accountability court on Thursday ordered the release of Col Tariq Ehtesham (retired), ex-project director of the Elite Police Training School when the NAB additional deputy prosecutor-general told the court that no financial irregularity was found against him.

NAB counsel Haroon Rashid told the court that Col Tariq’s signatures were found fake by the forensic laboratory and he has no concern with the financial scam of the Elite police school.

The NAB had filed application under Section 31/B of the NAB Ordinance that there were no sufficient evidence to prove that he obtained any monetary advantage or indulged in misappropriation of funds.

Col Tariq has been in the NAB custody for the last two years on the charge of misappropriation of Rs60 million.

The NAB reference accused the officials of the AG office and Elite police school of withdrawing Rs400 million by preparing fake documents for the purchase of arms.

WARRANTS: An accountability court on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Lahore district council ex-chairman Chaudhry Shaukat Ali, ex-MNA Haji Kabeer and contractor Abdul Qayyum in a reference of misappropriation of council’s Rs1.43 billion.

The court was informed by the investigation officer that Shaukat was absconding, Kabeer was in Peshawar jail and Qayyum had gone with a Tablighi Jamaat.

Punjab ex-chief secretary Javed Qureshi is also co-accused in the reference.

The court fixed September 9 for further proceedings.

INCOME TAX: An accountability court on Thursday adjourned the hearing of a corruption reference against Multan’s ex-income tax commissioner Sheikh Muhammad Aslam for September 7 to frame charge against him.

Earlier, the NAB authorities provided the copy of the reference to the accused.

The accused has been in the NAB custody since June 2.—APP