Judicial remand of Khawaja brothers extended

LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday extended judicial remand of former railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother, former provincial minister Khawaja Salman Rafique till May 2 in Paragon City scam.

Duty Judge Syed Jawadul Hassan conducted the proceedings in the absence of judge concerned as he was on leave. National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) officials produced Khawaja brothers before the court on expiry of their judicial remand. The court asked the NAB officials that when the reference would be filed against the accused. To which, NAB Prosecutor Waris Ali Janjua submitted that the reference had been sent for scrutiny and approval.

He said that the reference would be filed on completion of the process. In response to another court query, the prosecutor submitted that no final date could be given for filing the reference. The court extended judicial remand of Khawaja brothers till May 2 and directed to produce them on expiry of the remand term.

It is pertinent to mention here that Khawaja brothers' post arrest bail petitions were pending before a Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench. Khawaja brothers were arrested on Dec 11, 2018 after a LHC division bench dismissed their pre-arrest bail petitions.

The bureau had alleged that Khawaja brothers launched Paragon City housing project through their "benamidars".The Paragon City was an illegal society and not approved by the Lahore Development Authority, it added. It also alleged that the suspects along with other accomplices cheated public at large and obtained illegal financial benefits from the funds of the society.