Court refuses to release builder accused of defrauding citizens

Announcing detailed verdict on plea bargain, it directs NAB to change IO of the case

KARACHI: An accountability court issued on Thursday the detailed verdict on a plea bargain application filed by builder Haji Adam Jokhio, who was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on charges of defrauding allottees of a commercial project.

Announcing the verdict, the court remarked that Jokhio, as well as other accused in the case, cannot be set free so that they continue to defraud citizens.  It also directed the NAB director general to change the investigation officer of the case, stating that the present one's "character is suspicious." The investigation of the case is to be carried out by an official who is honest, it commented.

Concluding the hearing, the court ordered NAB to complete the investigation of the case within a month and submit a report to the court.

Assets beyond means case: Court orders NAB to declare accused on the run absconders

At the previous hearing on Wednesday, the court had rejected Jokhio's bail plea and extended his judicial remand till December 24.

Assets beyond means

In another case, the accountability court released advertisements summoning Sindh Assembly speaker Agha Siraj Durrani and 10 others accused in an assets beyond means case, directing them to appear before the court by December 17.

During the hearing, the court remarked that arrest warrants of the accused had been issued earlier but were retracted without any action. The accused are in hiding despite the issuance of orders to appear before the court, it commented, adding that their arrest warrants were issued multiple times.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2019.