QUETTA:Accountability Court Quetta has rejected the plea of former Chairman Balochistan Development Authority (BDA) and former ACS Development Balochistan Atta Muhammad Jaffer from NAB reference in the Reko diq corruption case which accused a loss of trillions of rupees to the national treasury.
Quetta Accountability Court Judge Munawar Ahmad Shahwani in his judgment said that although there is no bar for an accused persons to file an application under section 265-K Cr.P.C at any stage of the proceedings for his discharge/ acquittal and keeping in mind facts and circumstances of the case the court has got ample powers to acquit any accused at any stage, NAB said press release issued here on Friday.
However, the Hon’ble Supreme Court has declared the Chaghi Hills Exploration Joint Venture Agreement illegal and void abinitio and since the former chairman of BDA has signed the CHEJVA agreement and the prosecution has leveled multiple allegations against him and without recording prosecution evidence it would cause prejudice to the either side so the plea of acquittal from the trial of the accused was hereby dismissed.
It is to mentioned here that NAB Balochistan has filed a reference against 26 persons including former chairman BDA Ata Muhammad Jaffer on the charges of illegally benefiting a foreign company for personal gain.
According to the reference filed in the court, in year 1993, the CHEJVA agreement was signed between the BDA and an Australian company namely Broken Hills Proprietary, in which the Australian company was illegally benefited especially by the BDA officials.
Later, the investigation team headed by DG NAB Operations and DG NAB Balochistan with the approval of Chairman NAB Justice Javed Iqbal filed a reference against 26 persons including former chairman and officers of BDA in the accountability court of Quetta.
Former Chairman Balochistan Development Authority and ACS Balochistan Ata Muhammad Jaffer had sought acquittal from corruption case under Section 265-K CrP.C to save himself from punishment but the accountability court has rejected the plea of the accused.