Corruption case: Court extends physical remand of Muhammad Khan Bhatti

LAHORE:An accountability court on Wednesday extended physical remand of Muhammad Khan Bhatti, the principal secretary to former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi, for another five days, in a corruption case, initiated against the latter and his son, Moonis Elahi.

Earlier, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team produced Muhammad Khan Bhatti before Accountability Court Judge Naseem Ahmad Virk on expiry of his physical remand.

The investigation officer submitted a report and informed the court that investigations were underway. He requested the court to grant further remand of the accused, as investigation could not be completed from him.

However, the defence counsel, Advocate Amjad Parvaiz, opposed the remand plea.

The court, after hearing arguments of the parties, extended the physical remand for another five days, and ordered for producing the accused in court on Sept 18.

Meanwhile, the court also sent the co-accused, Riaz Ahmad, XEN of Punjab Highway Department, to jail on 14-day judicial remand in the case, after turning down a plea for his further physical remand.

A NAB team had produced the co-accused on expiry of his remand term and sought further physical remand for investigation.

NAB had accused Parvez Elahi and Moonis Elahi of receiving over Rs 1 billion as kickbacks through intermediaries in more than 200 development projects of Gujrat district, during his second term as the chief minister Punjab.