Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President and former Pervaiz Elahi was re-arrested by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab in a corruption case, shortly after the Lahore court granted him in graft case.
The former Punjab chief minister was arrested a day earlier in connection with a case involving Rs70 million in corruption in development funds allocated for the Gujrat district.
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Judicial Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza heard the anti-corruption cases registered against former CM in Gujranwala and Lahore. Pervaiz Elahi was produced before the Lahore court in two corruption cases wherein the anti-graft watchdog sought 14-day physical remand.
Today’s Hearing
In todays hearing, 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 frontman,” 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.
After the arguments the Lahore court termed the case against Elahi not “well-founded” as per the ACE investigation and inquiry. It further ordered the PTI leader’s “immediate release if not required in any other criminal case”.
Moments after the release, the PTI leader was arrested in a corruption case registered against him in Gujranwala.
Remember that PTI President was taken into custody by the Anti Corruption Establishment (ACE) officials and a police team from his residence, Zahoor Palace, in Lahore on Thursday evening. Elahi was arrested in a Rs700 million corruption case.
It should be noted that two corruption cases have been registered in Gujranwala against the former Punjab chief minister while one case has been lodged in Lahore.
