Dr Naeem released after striking deal with accountability court

Dr Naeem will pay off Punjab University misappropriated funds in two installments.

LAHORE: An accountability court on Friday released Dr Majid Naeem, former principal of Punjab University College of Information Technology, in a misappropriation case of Rs2,797,850, after he struck a deal with the court to pay back the amount in installments.

Dr Naeem, was the chief accused in the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) result fiasco in Punjab.

He had deposited Rs0.951 million in court as down payment, as settled under the plea bargain agreement. Dr Naeem will pay the remaining Rs1,876,850 in two equal quarterly instalments.

According to details, in December 2010 a references was filed against Dr Majid Naeem in an accountability court over charges of misappropriation to the tune of Rs2,797,850 through misuse of authority.

While occupying the post of principal at the Punjab University College of Information Technology, Dr Naeem  withdrew money from the university funds without approval of due authority and converted the money entrusted to him for his personal use by corrupt, dishonest and illegal means.

The court charged the accused on February 28. His arrest warrants, however were stalled due to a delayed appointment of chairman NAB. Dr Naeem took the benefit of this situation and intentionally skipped his in the court as well as before the investigation officer of the reference.

The newly appointed chairman NAB after holding his office issued arrest warrant for the accused who has was later arrested from Lahore. The NAB authorities had also confiscated his car at the time of his arrest.

Following his arrest, an accountability court handed Dr Naeem over to NAB on physical remand. At this point, Dr Naeem entered into a plea bargain agreement with NAB authorities.