SC to hear former LDA DG’s bail plea today

The top court will hear the bail plea of former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general Ahad Khan Cheema in the Ashiana housing scheme and assets beyond means cases on Monday (today).

A three-member bench, headed by Justice Mushir Alam and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, will hear the case. The court, while fixing the plea for hearing, sent a notice to the National Accountability Bureau prosecutor. During the last hearing, the apex court had sought a report from the trial court on Cheema’s bail plea.

The former LDA DG has moved the SC against the Lahore High Court’s decision to deny him bail in April this year. According to the NAB, the petitioner misused his authority with criminal intent when he was the LDA DG as he had the request for the proposal and bidding documents approved to illegally award the Rs14 billion contract of Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Project to Lahore Casa Developers. The NAB prosecutor earlier told the court that the Punjab Land Development Company had signed an agreement in January 2015 following which investors paid over Rs61 million for the Ashiana housing scheme.

“The project remains incomplete after three years. Cheema allotted a Rs14 billion contract to Casa Developers — a joint venture of three companies, namely Bismillah Engineering Services, Suparco and China Group,” he said. The prosecutor also informed the court that Cheema had assets worth billions of rupees that were beyond his known sources of income. He further said these assets were registered in his and his family members’ names. In the reference, it has been revealed that Cheema has 22 properties registered in his or his family members’ names.

The details of his properties included; a plot in LDA Avenue, two plots in Bank Alfalah Employees Housing Society; and 188 kanals and 12 marlas; and 123 kanals and 19 marlas of agricultural land in Bhaik Ahmad Yar, Hafizabad

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)