Court hands over three properties to RDA

RAWALPINDI:

An accountability court has handed over three residential properties frozen by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for recovery of Rs1.965 billion allegedly transferred from an official account of the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) to the authority.

The accountability court judge appointed the RDA director administration as receiver of the properties.

The process of recovering the funds transferred from the RDA bank account from some other accused persons is also under way.

According to sources, Accountability Court No. 1 Judge Sheikh Ejaz Ali appointed the RDA director administration as receiver of properties owned by Muhammad Afzal and Muhammad Jamal.

These include House No. 1192-A, Street 14, Sector 6, Phase 8, Bahria Town, owned by Muhammad Afzal; House No. 676, Street 1, Sector D, Phase 8, Bahria Town, owned by Muhammad Jamal; and a house measuring two marlas and six feet on Rafi Road, Lal Kurti, owned by Muhammad Jamal.

The properties had earlier been frozen by the NAB director general, who referred the matter to the court. The court has now endorsed the freezing order issued by the NAB director general and directed the previously appointed receiver, additional deputy commissioner revenue, to hand over the properties to the newly appointed receiver, RDA Director Administration.

The new receiver will be entitled to receive rent and other profits from the properties and will also be responsible for their maintenance.

Following the RDA funds transfer scandal, NAB had taken measures for recovery through plea bargains from suspects involved in the case and freezing of their properties.