ACE arrests Elahi’s aide on corruption charges

Bhatti transferred to Rawalpindi on transit remand after being accused of corruption of Rs300 million in sugar stocks

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on Wednesday arrested former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi's principal secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti from Lahore and transferred him to Rawalpindi on transit remand after he was booked on charges of corruption.

Bhatti is accused of spending Rs300 million, which he allegedly received while misusing his powers, to buy a sugar stock.

It has been stated in the FIR registered on the complaint of a Circle Officer in Rawalpindi ACE that it has been found that the former principal secretary to then Punjab CM misused his powers and received a large amount money in bribe from which he bought a stock of sugar in Alliance Sugar Mills, Ghotki. The cost of stock is Rs300m and it can be recovered if a raid is conducted.

At this, an inquiry was initiated and after the inquiry, the probe team recommended registering a case against Bhatti and identifying others in the investigation.

Following this, the Punjab ACE director approved to register a case and subsequently, a case was registered against him under sections 161 / 162 / 409 PPC and Section 5 / 2 / 47 of the Bribery Act.

It was learned that a team consisting of the assistant director of investigation and assistant director of legal arrested Bhatti from Lahore and transferred him to Rawalpindi, where the accused is being interrogated.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2023.