ACE officials say Elahi will be presented before Gujranwala court tomorrow,
LAHORE – Judicial Magistrate disposes of graft case against ex-CM citing lack of evidence: Ex-CM says he is innocent, staunch supporter of Pakistan Army ion Establishment (ACE) rearrested PTI President Parvez Elahi from outside a Lahore
The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) rearrested PTI President Parvez Elahi from outside a Lahore court moments after he got discharged in the graft case, sources said on Friday.
Sources said the anti-corruption watchdog would shift the PTI leader to Gujranwala directorate as he had been wanted in another case lodged in the city.
Meanwhile, ACE Director General Suhail Zafar Chatha said the department would move the court against the verdict announced by the Lahore court. “The verdict has been announced in contrast to the merit,” he added.
Earlier, the court had ordered the release of the PTI leader if he had not been wanted in any other case. Judicial magistrate Ghulam Murtaza Virk announced the verdict which was reserved earlier. Mr Elahi was brought to court in an armoured vehicle amid tight security while his family members, including son Rasikh Elahi, were present in the court.
The anti-corruption team has sought 14-day physical remand of the senior politician in order to interrogate him in the case. The judge announced the decision after hearing arguments from both sides.
Speaking to media outside the court, the former Punjab chief minister said he was innocent and a “supporter of Pakistan Army”. In a message to the party workers, he asked them to stand firm and did not lose courage.
At the outset of the hearing, Elahi was produced before a district court. The lawyer for ACE Punjab said that the construction of the road in Gujrat was approved on September 20, 2022.
He claimed that it caused a loss of Rs268 million to the national exchequer. “Bogus payments of Rs35 million were also made while bogus payments of Rs40 million were made for the [construction material],” the lawyer added.
He also said bids were made even before the approval of the project. The counsel continued to say that bogus payments were made for the construction and repair of 17km, 22km and 57km of roads. “Illegal contracts were given for the construction of roads in Lala Musa, Dinga and other places”.
The lawyer further added: “A total of loss Rs1,229 million was made in all projects.” The court inquired who was investigated among those who were given the contracts, he added. “Where is the internal inquiry of this issue?” the magistrate asked.
The lawyer replied that the inquiry was initiated as per the rules. He added that the anti-corruption prepared the final report on April 10. Starting the arguments, Elahi’s counsel Advocate Rana Intizar said: “It is unknown on whose instance was the case registered.”
“They used to call Sohail Abbas as Parvez Elahi’s front man,” he said, adding that the Gujranwala court has discharged Abbas from the case. Advocate Intizar said that the anti-corruption department has registered another case in Lahore in which Abbas, Muhammad Khan Bhatti and others were made accused.
“Five cases are filed against Elahi in different districts of Punjab,” he added. He also informed the court that all the development projects initiated were under the budget. Intizar said that there was a one-year gap between the registration of the case and the date of occurrence.
He also argued that a case was filed against his client without any inquiry and notice to the former chief minister. “Documents related to all the projects are available.” The judge remarked that the decision will be made as per the law after hearing the arguments from both sides.
At this, Elahi’s counsel said that the ACE is bringing new laws, adding that they will appoint their own judge to decide the case. “Rs360 million were paid to contractors on January 17, 2023,” he said, adding that the payment was made when Interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi was ruling in the province.
In violation of the rules, an officer of the ACE was doing technical inquiry in the case, however, the report can only be prepared by S&W, argued the lawyer.
Parvez Elahi’s arrest
A team of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), with the help of police, on Thursday arrested the PTI president outside his residence, Zahoor Elahi Palace, over graft charges, confirmed Punjab interim information minister Amir Mir.
Mr Mir said he had been arrested for receiving kickbacks in development projects, adding that he would be shifted to the anti-corruption headquarters shortly. “The area around his house had been cordoned off for the last couple of days,” he added.
At first, he resisted but when police tried to break his car’s driving side window, he came out of his car, he said. “Talks of human rights violations should be toned down because he is accused of corruption,” the minister added. “He will be treated in jail as other suspects are treated,” Mr Mir said.
The arrest came as an anti-corruption court of Lahore had, earlier, rejected Mr Elahi’s bail petition in a case of alleged corruption in development projects.
Mr Elahi’s lawyer told the court that the former chief minister was suffering from chest pain and could not appear in court. The prosecution argued that the medical certificate submitted by Parvez Elahi’s counsel in court was fake.
The court dismissed the interim bail plea of Parvez Elahi on the ground of non-compliance and also rejected the PTI leader’s request for an attendance waiver.
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